Starbucks Coffee Pushs into Korean Market

Starbucks, the international coffee distributor and retailer, has decided to open a large coffee shop in the middle of Seoul's Shinchon area.
The numerous coffee shops around the university area are bracing for the inevitable storm as the Starbucks franchise will offer stiff competition.
Moreover, success in the Shinchon area, which hosts a tremendous number of coffee shops, will have a great influence on the domestic coffee shop market. If you can conquer the tough Shinchon market, the rest of the nation is yours.
Starbucks, will have a considerable impact on Korea's coffee importers and distributors, like the industry leaders Dongsuh and Daesang companies, because Starbucks has its own popular name brand.
Starbucks has prepared carefully for its launch into Korea. It concluded a contract with Shinsegae Department Store in 1997, and then last February brought in the president of Haagen-Dazs Asia, Mr. Pedroman, as the president of the Asian division.
The U.S.-based Starbucks is famous throughout North America and already has a foothold in the Asian market with 25 stores in Japan, 20 in Singapore, 12 in the Philippines, 4 in China and 2 in Malaysia.
It has also entered the United Kingdom, New Zealand, and the Middle East.
Having somewhat humble origins in Seatle, Starbucks' growth skyrocketed with 1,900 stores in the U.S. and 2,6000 employees. It was slected as one of the top 100 companies people want to work for by Fortune Magazine.
Starbucks U.S. market sales alone reached 780 million dollars from last September through to March 28.