Starbucks to roll out beer, wine to more cafes in US

NEW YORK — Starbucks plans to turn more of its cafes into a destination for beer and wine in the evenings in the US.

The coffee company says it is looking to expand alcohol sales to “thousands of select stores” over the next several years, although it did not provide details on an exact timeline.

The chain first offered beer and wine after 4pm at one of its Seattle cafes in 2010. “Starbucks Evenings” is now available in 26 cafes in US, with plans to reach 40 by the end of the year. The cafes also serve a variety of small dishes ranging in price from US$3 (S$3.80) to US$5 (S$6.40), such as bacon-wrapped dates, truffle macaroni and cheese, and flat breads.

The regular coffee menu is also available during that time.

The expansion of “Starbucks Evenings” is part of the company’s push to boost sales after the morning rush hour when people are getting their caffeine fix. It is a common concept in the restaurant industry — figuring out ways to maximise sales throughout the day since stores have to pay for rent and labour anyway.

Taco Bell, for instance, recently started highlighting snacks in its ads to drive sales during the slower late afternoon hours. And the fruit shakes and other drinks at McDonald’s are seen as a way to attract people throughout the day.

As for Starbucks, the chain recently introduced new sandwiches and salads to boost sales in the afternoon. It’s also branching out into other areas to as it faces more competition in the coffee market.

The company recently purchased a chain of tea shops called, “Teavana”. CEO Mr Howard Schultz has said he wants to make tea as popular in the US as he’s helped make coffee.

There are about 11,000 Starbucks stores in the US. AP