Starbucks: First South Africa Branch Draws Crowds After First Week
Last week, Starbucks opened its first South Africa branch in Johannesburg with people crowding the place for their first try of the hit brews and a week after the launch day, throngs of people are still patiently waiting in line to get their orders.
According to Reuters, Starbucks founder and chief executive Howard Schultz said, "I've never seen a line like this after a week of our opening." The Johannesburg store opened Thursday last week and it is expected the business will keep running smoothly with the number of people still eager to get their hands on the hit brand.
On Friday, Schultz also declared that the coffee chain is planning to open up to 150 stores all across South Africa. BBC News said that city socialites graced the opening day, giving their approval to the luxury brand that is the first in sub-Saharan Africa.
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A lot of people even waited overnight for the store to open and #StarbucksSA became a trending hashtag on Twitter almost the entire day. Keabetswe Kgantisoe, a customer who lives about 20 miles away from Johannesburg, expressed her joy as she was one of the first hundred people who got a taste of the famous brew.
"I had my first Starbucks on holiday in England and I'm so happy that they've come here it's about time," Kgantisoe said.
Meanwhile, the first few trainees who are hoping to earn money through working with the company have completed Changing Lanes, a five-day program spearheaded by Taste Holdings that aims to train unemployed locals as they enter the workplace.
Taste Holdings is Starbucks' South African franchise partner and along with nonprofit organization Khulisa Social Solutions, it came up with the program to help resolve the widespread unemployment issue in the area.
Victor Ntshitshongo is one of the trainees who completed the course and in an article on the giant coffee chain's official website, his story of getting inspiration from the opportunity given by Changing Lanes is told.
"I'm very grateful for the opportunity that Changing Lanes and Starbucks has given me. It's one hell of a journey, I can say," he said.
