American coffee chain giant Starbucks is reportedly considering selling its Japanese operations. According to Bloomberg, sources say Starbucks has held preliminary negotiations with investment banks, including discussions about selling its Japanese business. Japan is one of Starbucks’ largest markets in the world, and a sale could be worth between 400 billion and 500 billion yen.
An initial public offering (IPO) of the Japanese business is also being considered as an option. The company states that it is still in the planning stages and nothing has been decided yet. Starbucks opened its first store in Ginza, Tokyo in 1996 and currently has approximately 2,100 stores in Japan. 90% of its stores are company-owned, and its Japanese operations are considered to be performing well. (C) CABLE NEWS NETWORK 2026 [TV Asahi NEWS]
