Local coffee houses must “up their game” – President Ali

…urges brand to introduce Guyana’s “unique taste” on global menu
…as Starbucks officially opens in Guyana today

American multinational coffeehouse chain Starbucks has officially opened its first location in Guyana in a move that is expected to challenge local cafes to up their games. Located at Amazonia Mall, Providence, East Bank Demerara, Starbucks Guyana will officially open to the Guyanese public today.

Speaking at the opening ceremony on Monday, President Dr Irfaan Ali said the opening of this international franchise should encourage local coffeehouses to up their games.
“I do not see the arrival of Starbucks Coffee here as competition to our local coffee shop. It is actually complimentary, it adds value, and that is what is important. We must understand that we live in a different Guyana and a different world, every brand is going to come, we have to improve, we have to get better, [and] we have to make our own brand and our own system more efficient. That is what is important and global brands have the tendency of pushing local brands to up their game,” the Head of State remarked.
President Ali also spoke of the significance of this investment in the country, specifically, the service industry as he urged Starbucks to introduce some local cuisine items on its menu.
“And perhaps the local private sector should engage you as to how we can get our pine tart and cheese straw into Starbucks in the USA…[and] Starbucks in Trinidad and Tobago, because these are unique taste, unique products, that is fresh and that is what global brands allow you to do. Global brands must be able to utilise their market presence to build new products and to take new products from their market presence wherever they are, to global standards,” President Ali shared.
Additionally, he said that while much of the world is enchanted with coffee, the likes of Arabica, Ethiopian coffee, Colombian coffee and otherwise, Guyana is home to a rare, fruity and floral type of coffee that is smoky in taste.
“Grown in the Pomeroon, niche, unique, and set aside from all others. Classic, only for the best of coffee drinkers and markets. I welcome you, then, Starbucks, to the land of Liberica, and I hope that in your brand, this unique coffee will be sold, and this unique coffee will be grown in commercial scale. With your support, this coffee that only one per cent of the coffee market can enjoy because of its rareness, can be shared with the rest of the world, from Guyana. This is a project that I would challenge Starbucks Guyana to work with us on,” the Head of State said.
He expressed hope that expatriates would be able to experience the one per cent rarity in Guyana through Starbucks, noting that the introduction of Guyana’s coffee would enable the franchise to set itself apart in the world market.

Partners with local organisation
Meanwhile, the CEO of Prestige Holdings, Simon Harding shared that every Starbucks café partners with a local organisation within the community to give back.
“Every Starbucks café partners with a local organisation in the community. I’m pleased to say that we are partnered with the Save Abee Foundation as our community partner for the first Starbucks at Amazonia Mall. The Save Abee Foundation aims to improve the quality of life for children in Guyana by providing free lessons, medical outreach as well as community outreach programmes,” Harding shared.
It was previously reported that the popular coffeehouse chain expressed interest in opening five outlets in Guyana. Tourism Minister Oneidge Walrond is quoted as saying that the company also wants a presence in Georgetown and along the East Coast of Demerara.
Starbucks started its expansion in the Caribbean nearly a decade ago. And as of November 2021, the company had 33,833 stores in 80 countries, 15,444 of which were located in the United States.