1 of 48

Starbucks�Kiana Nakagawa, Cam Tetrault, Jeremy Brazda, Megan Barone, Ross Eisenberg, Mat Moschella, Danielle Walkerwicz, Mohamed Hussien, Kristina Giles

April 22, 2015

Rome, Italy

2 of 48

AGENDA

  1. Forward
  2. Methodology
  3. Perceptions and attitudes
  4. Experiences
  5. Expectations
  6. Summary of findings
  7. Final recommendations.

3 of 48

1. FORWARD

4 of 48

1. FORWARD OBJECTIVE

Is the Italian market suitable for Starbucks to enter?

If so,what plan of action should they go about entering?

Where should the Starbucks be situated?

Who should they cater their menus to?

What types of drinks and food are best suitable for the Italian culture?

How should they price their items?

How should stores be laid out and decorated?

5 of 48

1. FORWARD

Market Potential- Population of 60 million

Coffee Market-

  • Highly saturated; coffee shop concentration/ million people 3,278 (compared to US 63)1
  • 3.7 kg coffee / capita (compared to US 2.4kg/capita)2
  • 47 million tourists / year 3
  • 1.8 million university students 4

Ease of doing business in Italy- 87th / 183 (US ranked 4th)1

1 Alon, IIan, and Meredith Lohwasser. "The Espresso Lane to Global Markets." Richard Ivey School of Business (2012): 1-16. Web.

2 Coffee consumption, World Resources Institute, viewed 8th February, 2011, <http://www.wri.org>.

3 "International Tourism, Number of Arrivals." International Tourism, Number of Arrivals. N.p., 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2015.

4 Sedghi, Ami, and Paddy Allen. "European Students by the Numbers." The Guardian. N.p., 2012. Web.

6 of 48

2. METHODOLOGY

7 of 48

2. METHODOLOGY

The study was based on an integrated approach. The qualitative phase, in particular in-depth interviews, were carried out among two targets:

  • American University of Rome students (9)
    • Students that regularly visit Starbucks back in the United States and drink coffee here in Rome

American Students in Rome

  • Italian university students (7)
    • Students, from Italy, who attend Italian universities and have either been to/have knowledge of Starbucks

Italian Students

8 of 48

2. METHODOLOGY

In all cases, furthermore, respondents were:

  • University students
  • Had preexisting knowledge of Starbucks
  • Aged between 18-25
  • Around 50% women, 50% men
  • ~30 min in length
  • A qualitative interview featuring projective techniques, sentence completion and word/image associations

9 of 48

2. METHODOLOGY

Sessions/interviews were distributed as follows:

Fieldwork was carried out:

  • over 7 days (April 7-14, 2015)
  • by 9, US-Native students
  • in Rome

Each student attempted to carry out one American interview and ever two students carried out one Italian intervew

10 of 48

2. METHODOLOGY

The quantitative phase was carried out by means of an interview questionnaire, made up of 16 questions, that was handed out to willing participants.

Fieldwork was carried out in Rome in between the 17 and the 22 of April 2015

11 of 48

3. PERCEPTIONS

AND ATTITUDES

12 of 48

  • College students

FIRST REACTIONS TO STARBUCKS

ITALIANS

It was perceived as:

  • Everywhere

  • Pricey

  • Big sizes

  • Social

13 of 48

  • College students: social

FIRST REACTIONS TO STARBUCKS

AMERICANS

It was perceived as:

  • Expensive & simple

  • Welcoming/friendly

14 of 48

PERCEPTIONS

The image of Starbucks was homogeneous among both targets, US and Italian university students.

  • High end, quality coffee shop
  • Relatively high prices
  • Relaxed environment
  • Place to meet up and socialize
  • Large variation of products
  • Very popular, well-known place
  • Middle to upper class customers
  • Starbucks coffee culture not similar to Italian coffee culture

15 of 48

RESISTANCE

Main problems shared by both targets:

Quality

Price

Atmosphere

Very expensive compared to many other coffee shops and bars.

Very expensive compared to other coffee shops or bars.

Coffee may not be perceived to be as good as Italian coffee in some eyes.

Can be crowded and touristy. Some customers are pretentious.

16 of 48

ASSOCIATIONS

Throughout the two countries Starbucks triggered off similar associations, basically connected to two features:

 

High End

American

17 of 48

Starbucks Associations:

Other elements that activated negative associations and moreover feelings were:

The price...

The taste of the plain coffee...

Pretentious customers

18 of 48

Italian Bar Associations:

Other elements that activated negative associations and moreover feelings were:

T

Non-relaxing environment

Not a lot of drink variation

Stronger coffee

19 of 48

PROJECTIVE EXERCISES:

FOR STARBUCKS

Projective exercises portrayed a similar user image in both countries:

CAR

CHARACTER

FEELING

DECODING

Easygoing

Home

Comforting / Home-y Atmosphere

Social

Speed

  • Status

Social

Luxurious

  • Status

Volkswagen

Jeep

Mercedes

Hannah Montana Gilmore Girl

Typical American Mila Kunis

Working American James Franco

20 of 48

PROJECTIVE EXERCISES:

FOR ITALIAN BARS

Projective exercises portrayed a similar user image in both countries:

CAR

CHARACTER

FEELING

DECODING

Satisfaction

Sophisticated

Italian connection

Quick

Homey

  • Stereotypes

Fast

Small

Luxury

Fiat

Fiat

Lamborghini

Bernini George Clooney

Totti George Clooney

21 of 48

4. Starbucks: EXPERIENCES

22 of 48

4.6 : EXPERIENCES

American Coffee / SBKS

  • leisurely
  • weak taste
  • large
  • to-go
  • luxurious

Italian Coffee / bar

  • fast
  • strong taste
  • small
  • immediate
  • affordable (commodity)

23 of 48

4.6 : Hypothesis Formulation

Overall, interviewees suggested

Adopt characteristics of Italian coffee culture

Location should be in tourist areas, city centers, and by universities

Starbucks should look at lowering their prices

Starbucks should really consider not coming to Italy

24 of 48

5. Starbucks: EXPECTATIONS

25 of 48

5.1: EXPECTATIONS

If Starbucks came to Italy

  • A lot of tourists and students would go there

If Starbucks came to Italy

They would have to do a lot of marketing to let people know they’re in Italy

If Starbucks came to Italy

  • They may expect lower revenues due to the culture barriers

Sentence completion results

26 of 48

6. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

27 of 48

6. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS

Overall the research highlighted the following:

  1. The majority of tourists and study abroad students would go to Starbucks in Italy.

  • The majority of Italian students say that they would not go to Starbucks in Italy.

  • Generally, Starbucks’ prices would work in Italy for those who would buy their products.

  • The majority agreed Starbucks should be located in tourist and city centers, by universities, and at stations/airports.

28 of 48

6. Italian-University Students

Information on Italians

Objective 45

30 stopped

13 responded

response rate 43%

male 77%

female 23%

average age 22.8

29 of 48

6. Italian-University Students

Of 11 respondents

30 of 48

6. Italian-University Students

Of 11 respondents

Of 11 respondents

31 of 48

6. Italian-University Students

Of 11 respondents

32 of 48

6. Italian-University Students

Of 11 respondents

33 of 48

6. American-University Students

Information on American-University

Objective 45

28 stopped

28 responded

answer rate 100%

male 57%

female 43%

average age 20.5

34 of 48

6. American-University Students

Of 25 respondents

Of 25 respondents

Of 25 respondents

35 of 48

6. American-University Students

Of 25 respondents

36 of 48

6. American-University Students

Of 25 respondents

Of 25 respondents

37 of 48

6. American-University Students

Of 25 respondents

38 of 48

6. American-University Students

Of 25 respondents

39 of 48

6. Tourists

Information on Tourists

Objective 45

46 stopped

21 responded

response rate 46%

male 38%

female 62%

average age 31.7

40 of 48

6. Tourists

Of 20 respondents

Of 20 respondents

41 of 48

6. Tourists

Of 20 respondents

Of 20 respondents

42 of 48

6. Tourists

Of 20 respondents

43 of 48

6. Tourists

Of 20 respondents

44 of 48

10. FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS

45 of 48

10. FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS

  • Overall, the insight provided by the research, hints at the following:

  • If Starbucks were to come to Italy, they would have to heavily market other products and services other than coffee in order to appeal to an Italian audience.

  • If Starbucks were to come to Italy, they would have to position themselves in heavily populated tourist areas.

  • Overall, after research, Starbucks should not come to Italy based on opportunity cost and risk.

46 of 48

10. FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS

American University Students

Italian Uni.

Of 20 respondents

Of 25 respondents

Of 11respondents

47 of 48

10. FURTHER MORE

  • There are other, more appealing and less saturated markets Starbucks should consider entering first (i.e. India)

  • Starbucks may not be able to use the same strategies to enter Italy as it has in every other country (consider the failure in Australia)

  • Starbucks’s reputation will be under serious scrutiny by the media upon entering Italy

48 of 48

Questions?

Thank you for your time.