Region: not just coffee, but also cafés

Starbuck’s regional master franchisee last week said that it is studying the option of expanding into Nicaragua, the Central American country, with the lowest per-person coffee consumption.

The news comes one month after Corporación Franquicias Americanas, based in El Salvador, announced the opening of its first Costa Rican Starbuck’s, scheduled for May. In March of last year, the company opened its first outlet in Guatemala, where it competes with Café Barista.

The Guatemalan chain, owned by Corporación Multi Inversiones, has 16 cafés, and plans to double the number of outlets by the end of the year.

Central Americans for centuries have produced fine coffee, but have seldom found fine ways to consume it.

Tastes seem to be changing.

Opportunities:

• Franchisees
• Franchisors
• Specialty producers