Starbucks will open eight stores in Costa Rica between 2024 and 2025, with five located in the Greater Metropolitan Area and three in Guanacaste. María José Gutiérrez, marketing manager of Starbucks Costa Rica, said that the selected locations will be City Place in Santa Ana (2024), City Mall Alajuela (2024), Juan Santamaría International Airport, Liberia (two in 2025), Tamarindo (2025), Desamparados (2025), and San Pedro (2025).
Each new Starbucks store requires an investment of between $750,000 and $850,000. However, those located in Guanacaste will cost between $1 million and $1.5 million. “The stores in Guanacaste have larger and wider spaces, with more spacious terraces and construction from scratch,” Gutiérrez explained. Currently, Starbucks has 26 locations in Costa Rica and around 400 employees, numbers that will increase with the new coffee shops.
“The training and professional development of our employees is essential. Ninety-five percent of our growth is internal, where we train from baristas to administrative positions. At Starbucks, they have significant development potential,” Gutiérrez added.
Additionally, the global chain has its Hacienda Alsacia in Poás de Alajuela, the only Starbucks location in the world dedicated to the cultivation and research of coffee. Leslie Recio, Country Manager at Starbucks Costa Rica, mentioned that the 12-year presence of the brand in the country is “a reason for celebration and pride.”
“We have positively impacted the lives of our employees, customers, and the communities we have reached. Hacienda Alsacia, our only coffee farm in the world, symbolizes our commitment to open-source research to ensure the future of coffee globally,” Recio added.
Hacienda Alsacia stands out for its 240 hectares of farmland, including 156 hectares planted with coffee, 14 hectares dedicated to research and development, 50 hectares for forest protection, and 20 hectares of road and infrastructure.
The company also generates indirect jobs through local suppliers, Costa Rican artists, and furniture manufacturers certified by the brand. “Thanks to the acceptance of Costa Ricans, we hope to continue growing and contributing positively to local communities in the years to come,” Recio concluded.
