Starbucks is joining the ranks of companies that are ending their presence in Russia following its invasion of Ukraine.
In a press release Monday, the coffee chain said, âAs we mentioned on March 8, we have suspended all business activity in Russia, including shipment of all Starbucks products.â
âStarbucks has made the decision to exit and no longer have a brand presence in the market,â it announced.
The company has 130 stores in Russia.
However, they have been closed since March 8.
In a March letter, the company said, âWe continue to watch the tragic events unfold and, today, we have decided to suspend all business activity in Russia, including shipment of all Starbucks products.â
âOur licensed partner has agreed to immediately pause store operations and will provide support to the nearly 2,000 partners in Russia who depend on Starbucks for their livelihood,â it added.
The company has been operating in Russia for roughly 15 years.
Profits from its stores in Russia account for roughly 1% of Starbucksâ annual revenue.
Other companies have also announced they will end their business operations in Russia.
In a May 16 statement, McDonaldâs announced it is ending its operations in the country.
âAfter more than 30 years of operations in the country, McDonaldâs Corporation announced it will exit the Russian market and has initiated a process to sell its Russian business. This follows McDonaldâs announcement on March 8, 2022, that it had temporarily closed restaurants in Russia and paused operations in the market,â the statement said.
It added, âThe humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine, and the precipitating unpredictable operating environment, have led McDonaldâs to conclude that continued ownership of the business in Russia is no longer tenable, nor is it consistent with McDonaldâs values.â
McDonaldâs President and Chief Executive Officer, Chris Kempczinski, said, âWe have a long history of establishing deep, local roots wherever the Arches shine.â
âWeâre exceptionally proud of the 62,000 employees who work in our restaurants, along with the hundreds of Russian suppliers who support our business, and our local franchisees. Their dedication and loyalty to McDonaldâs make todayâs announcement extremely difficult,â he continued.
Finally, he added, âHowever, we have a commitment to our global community and must remain steadfast in our values. And our commitment to our values means that we can no longer keep the Arches shining there.â
