A brave move? Starbucks plans to open coffee shops in Colombia (only the world's largest producer of arabica beans)

　　World's largest coffee chain plans to open 50 cafes over next five years

　　News comes as Colombian farmers protest over low prices and subsidies

　　Starbucks says it will funnel $3million to conflict-affected farmers

　　Starbucks plans to open its first cafe in Colombia next year - after exporting the country's coffee beans for more than 40 years.

　　The world's biggest coffee chain says it will only serve locally-grown coffee and it hopes to open at least 50 cafes in cities across Colombia in the next five years, starting in the capital Bogota.

　　The announcement by the Seattle based-firm coincided with protests by local coffee growers who are demanding the government provide more aid to counter low global prices and cheap imports hitting the world's biggest producer of washed arabica beans.

　　As part of its Andean strategy, the cafe firm said it plans invest millions of dollars via aid to support local farmers in conflict-affected areas.

　　'We've had great success in Latin American and it's well overdue for us to open up in Colombia,' Starbucks chief executive Howard Schultz said, adding that he hoped to open at least six stores in the first year.

　　A military crackdown on drug-funded insurgent groups has made Colombia more attractive to foreign firms once fearful of investing in the nation when the conflict between Marxist FARC rebels and the government was at its height.

　　In addition to opening stores, Starbucks said it would partner with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and invest a joint $3million in a plan to help 25,000 farmers in conflict-hit areas of Colombia increase coffee yields.

　　Starbucks' new coffee shops will be run by a joint venture between Mexican restaurant firm Alsea, which operates more than 500 Starbucks stores in Latin America, and Colcafe, a subsidiary of Grupo Nutresa, the fourth-largest Colombian food company.

　　Colcafe helped Starbucks develop Via, its instant coffee product, launched in 2008. The Via manufacturing business, Starbucks' only roasting facility in Colombia, will be expanded to roast espresso blends and packaged coffee for sale in the country.

　　'We want to sell Colombian coffee in Colombia,' said Craig Russell, Starbucks' senior vice president of global coffee.

　　The USAID-Starbucks program will be directed at farmers in Antioquia, Tolima, Huila and Cauca, rich coffee-growing areas where there is still a FARC presence.

　　A major aim of the initiative is to reduce 'extreme poverty, which is still a reality for almost all of these small-scale coffee growers that have barely one hectare (2.5 acres) of land,' said USAID chief Raj Shah.

　　Carlos Piedrahita, head of Nutresa, said Starbucks' entrance into Colombia's coffee shop market would mean investment and jobs.

　　'This means more demand for our national produce,' said Piedrahita, speaking at a press conference in Bogota alongside Schultz.

　　Starbucks said its research suggests the cost of the chain's beverages, known for being relatively expensive around the world, won't deter consumers. The company declined to reveal its Colombia pricing, citing competitiveness.

　　Schultz said Starbucks would not undercut the country's farmer-owned Juan Valdez chain and probably charge a little more to create Starbucks 'home-from-home' lounge environment. He emphasized the company wanted to make a 'respectful' entry into a country that has been a key coffee supplier for many years.

　　subsidiary adj. 附属的；辅助的/ n. 子公司；辅助者

　　相关介绍：

　　世界最大咖啡连锁企业星巴克宣布明年将进驻哥伦比亚市场，此前该公司已经进口哥伦比亚出产的咖啡豆达四十余年。

　　星巴克表示在未来的五年内将至少在哥伦比亚开设50家咖啡厅，并将只使用本地种植的咖啡。

　　这一决定与哥伦比亚本地的咖啡种植者的想法不谋而合。日前他们正向政府请求援助，要求政府提供更多帮助以对抗低廉的全球咖啡价格。

　　“我们在拉美取得过巨大的成功，进驻哥伦比亚是我们期待已久的事情。”星巴克首席执行官霍华德.舒尔茨说。他还表示希望能够在明年开张6家星巴克。

　　星巴克的新店将由墨西哥餐饮公司Alsea和Grupo Nutresa旗下的子公司Colcafe所组成的合资公司共同负责运营。其中Alsea已经在拉美经营过超过500家星巴克咖啡店。

　　除了开店外，星巴克还将与美国国际开发署(USAID)合作，共同投资三百万美元来帮助哥伦比亚在军事冲突影响地区的25000 名咖啡种植者提高咖啡产量。