Key facts
- Starbucks is competing in China on store quality rather than on scale or price, the Nikkei reported.
- Starbucks moved its China operations into a joint venture with a local investment fund, according to the report.
- The chain is renovating stores and limiting seating to paying customers, the report said.
Starbucks is reinventing its approach in China after the US coffee chain shifted its China operations to a joint venture with a local investment fund, the Nikkei reported on November 12, 2026. The report said the company is aiming to compete on store quality rather than on scale or price.
The changes include store renovations and a seating policy that limits seats to paying customers, according to the report, which said the moves are aimed at boosting the chain's appeal. The Nikkei reported that Starbucks is moving away from competing directly with rival Luckin Coffee over the expansion of store networks.
The report was datelined from Dalian, China, and carried a publication time of 07:25 JST on November 13, 2026.