The coffee chain joins McDonald’s in taking its brand out of the country. Starbucks had temporarily paused operations in March.
Highlights
- Starbucks says it is leaving Russia after 15 years in business.
- The coffee chain had temporarily shut down its stores in March over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
- Starbucks joins McDonald’s in taking its brand out of the country.
- The company says it will continue paying its nearly 2,000 employees in Russia for six months and help them find new jobs.
- Unlike McDonald’s, Starbucks didn’t operate its cafes in Russia, but had a licensing deal with a major Russian licenseeeeororor company, which had its first Russia-based coffee shop in 2007, in a shopping mall on the outskirts of Moscow, the company says.
- This is the second major exit of a global American brand from Russia.