Starbucks opens coffee shop in Russia

Mumbai: US coffee chain Starbucks has opened its first coffee shop in Russia, two years after it won a legal battle to protect the right to its brand in the fast-growing Russian market.

"This is an important step for the company, and we are looking forward to being a part of every day life for Russians," said Cliff Burrows, president of Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa, as he opened the cafe.

"The first store opens today" in a shopping mall in Khimki, just north of Moscow, said Carol Pucik, a spokeswoman for Starbucks, which is by far the largest coffee chain with around 13,000 outlets worldwide.

The Moscow Starbucks would offer blueberry muffins, as well as dishes designed for the local market such as honeycakes and mushroom sandwiches.

The Seattle-based company has more than 13,000 cafes in 40 countries but faces tough competition from rival Russian chain Coffee House, which has 163 outlets in Moscow alone, and Shokoladnitsa, with 140 outlets in Russia.

A second Starbucks cafe is due to open later this year on Moscow''s historic Stary Arbat street, the company said in a statement. Alshaya, a Kuwaiti retailer, owns the franchise for Starbucks in Russia.