Starbucks, the American multinational coffeehouse and roastery chain, headquartered in Seattle, Washington, announced it will invest approximately $11 million in its expansion plan in Costa Rica. 

According to María José Gutiérrez, marketing manager for Starbucks Costa Rica, the investment is part of a strategy by Premium Restaurants of America, the corporation managing Starbucks stores in Central America. The goal is to open three new cafés annually over the next five years. 

For each new café, the chain invests about $750,000 in construction, equipment, furniture, and staffing. 

The expansion will require hiring at least 50 employees per location, creating an estimated 250 new jobs by the end of the five-year plan. 

This year, three new cafés will open in Guanacaste: one in Solarium, Liberia Canton, across from Daniel Oduber International Airport, in April. Another in Plaza Langosta at the intersection of Tamarindo and Langosta beaches in June. One more in Santa Rosa Plaza in Liberia Canton in July.

 

By the end of the five-year expansion, Starbucks expects to have around 650 employees in Costa Rica, including its current 400-person workforce.

 

In the second phase of the expansion, Starbucks will open new cafés in San José Province such as the cantons of Tibás and Desamparados, Gutiérrez said. 

As of 2024, Starbucks operates more than 40,000 coffee shops in over 80 countries, generating approximately $36 billion in revenue from its main products, including coffee beverages, smoothies, tea, baked goods, and sandwiches.

 

Starbucks is among several American companies that are investing in Costa Rica. Recently, Hurley, the California-based youth-oriented lifestyle brand known for its surfing apparel, opened its first store in the country. 

In July 2024, Dunkin’ Donuts, the Massachusetts-based coffee and donut chain, also inaugurated its first Costa Rican location. 

In June 2024, Krispy Kreme announced plans to expand its operations in Costa Rica following the inauguration of its first coffee shop in May.