AROUND THE BLOCK
News with
a Twist
Starbucks to open store in Milan
Vows to
bring “good” coffee to Italy
Several news outlets are
reporting that Starbucks, the American coffee shop chain, is opening a shop in
Italy.
Characterizing it as
“coals-to-Newcastle” play, Starbucks chairman Howard Schultz, said that the
company would open its first outlet in Milan next year followed by expansion
to other cities in Italy.
Indicating that it was
a trip to Italy over 30 years ago that inspired him to morph Starbucks,
originally founded as a coffee bean roaster, into the now ubiquitous coffee
house chain, Schultz said, “After all these years we’ve perfected the art of
coffee and espresso making to the point that we feel that we can finally come
to Italy and show them how to do it right.”
Schultz went on to say,
“We are mindful of the fierce coffee chauvinism of Italians and aware of the
risk of being seen as an ugly American company coming in and imposing its ways so we will show deference to Italians and their coffee culture, while
demonstrating the superiority of the ‘New World’ coffee shop.”
Not to be outdone, J.
Patrick Doyle, CEO of the American pizza chain Domino’s, announced that
Domino’s is planning to open their first outlet in Naples, Italy later this
year, saying “Domino’s is attempting to bring an American interpretation of
classic Italian fare to the market but customized to fit with Italian
sensibilities.”
Regarding the Domino’s
announcement, legendary Neapolitan pizza maker Giovanni Napolitano said, “Scuse
me, but the only way Domino’s can fit with Italian sensibilities is to change its name to
Dominico’s and leave its recipes home."
In related news, Chinese fast
foot chain Panda Express announced that it would be opening stores in Beijing
and Guangzhou later this year and Wienerschnitzel,
self-proclaimed “Home of the World’s Most Wanted Wiener,” would enter the German
market in early 2017 with outlets in Munich and Dusseldorf.
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