Armando Torrado, CEO of Alsea (left), and Laxman Narasimhan, CEO of Starbucks (right)

Mexican quick-service hospitality group Alsea, which operates more than 1,650 licensed Starbucks stores across Latin America, South America and Europe, is set to open the first Starbucks store in Paraguay. 
 

The outlet will open at the Shopping del Sol mall in the capital city of Asunción in May 2023, with Alsea planning to open two additional stores in the country before the end of the year. 
 

Paraguay represents Starbucks’ 24th market across Latin America and the Caribbean and its 86th globally. 

On a visit to Mexico, new Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan also announced a joint goal for Starbucks and Alsea to operate 2,000 Starbucks stores globally by the end of 2025.  

The Seattle-based coffee chain began its partnership with Alsea in 2002 with the Mexican quick-service hospitality group opening its first Starbucks store at Angel de la Independencia in Mexico City in the same year. 

Today, Alsea operates more than 1,650 licensed Starbucks stores across Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Uruguay as well as Spain, Portugal, France, Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg. More than 70% of the stores are operated directly by Alsea. 

“For Starbucks long-term, sustainable growth, we will evolve to a more global presence for our business and our brand. Our business is a human connection business, and Alsea’s industry knowledge and market expertise has been a key factor in bringing the Starbucks Experience to markets globally in a way that honours the rich coffee heritage of the region, upholds Starbucks Mission, and delivers an elevated experience to our partners and our customers,” Narasimhan said. 

Starbucks and Alsea recently announced the certification of Starbucks’ first Greener Stores in Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and Uruguay.  
 

The Greener Stores Framework is designed to accelerate the transformation of Starbucks retail outlets towards lower-impact stores with reduced carbon emissions, water usage and waste to landfill. Alsea currently operates 43 Starbucks Greener Stores globally. 

Mexico City-based Alsea, which also operates 1,370 Domino’s Pizza stores and 410 Burger King outlets globally alongside licensed TGI Fridays, VIPS and chili’s restaurants, achieved 29% group sales growth in 2022 to reach ₱68.8bn ($3.8bn).