Starbucks currently has 2,000 stores in China and its planning to open another 2,500 in the next 5 years
At a pace of 500 store openings a year
CEO Howard Schultz:
"We have confidence in the future of the Chinese economy, despite all the rhetoric, noise and issues"
"People are looking for reasons not to believe. I'm on the ground and I see firsthand. I am bullish."
Chinese drink around 4.5bn cups of coffee a year, compared with around 134bn of cups drunk by North Americans
Via Wall Street Journal (may be gated): Starbucks to Add Thousands of Stores in China
