MELBOURNE, Australia — Starbucks' struggling operations in Australia have been taken over by the 7-Eleven chain, Nepalese Voice reported.
After opening here in 2000, the coffee chain failed to generate a foothold and currently has just 24 stores in Australia, the article noted.
The Withers Group, with 600 outlets, bought the Starbucks license for an undisclosed amount from the U.S. parent company, the article stated.
Read more: PC&D: Australia — Winter Issue
“Our aim will be to make Starbucks the most successful coffee chain in Australia,” Withers Group chief executive Warren Wilmot said in the article. “Our intention is to capitalize on the skills of the broader Withers group of companies in successfully bringing an international brand to Australia, and adapting it to suit the local market.”
The Withers Group will run the Starbucks stores independent from 7-Eleven locations, according to the article.
In 2008 Starbucks closed 60 shops in Australia and laid off approximately 700 employees, the article noted.
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