The Starbucks coffee chain is officially entering the Georgian market. The first location is set to open in the summer of 2026 on Ilia Chavchavadze Avenue in Tbilisi, according to the Ministry of Economy of Georgia. Further expansion into other cities across the country is planned for a later date. The brand’s outlets will open in partnership with Alshaya Group, one of the world’s largest licensed retail partners of Starbucks.
Starbucks’ entry into Georgia is being facilitated with the support of the Enterprise Georgia agency (under the Ministry of Economy), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia, the Georgian Embassy in Kuwait, and the Turkish Embassy in Georgia, according to a released statement.
“We are proud to introduce Starbucks to coffee lovers in Georgia. The brand’s arrival in the country has generated significant interest, which perfectly aligns with the country’s sophisticated cafe culture and dynamic consumer market. Our goal is to ensure that as many people as possible can experience Starbucks’ high quality and unique hospitality, while also supporting the development of local suppliers and creating new employment opportunities in Georgia,” the Enterprise Georgia agency quoted Saleh Alshaya, President of Starbucks at Alshaya Group.
Deputy Minister of Economy Irakli Nadareishvili stated that Starbucks represents “a significant foreign investment and a signal to other global brands regarding the attractiveness of the Georgian market.”
“This has been a long and intensive process: high-level company delegations visited Georgia several times, conducting in-depth market research, site inspections, and meetings with potential partners. Today, we already have a concrete result,” he said.
Starbucks has been operating since 1971 and currently manages more than 40,000 stores in over 90 countries. Alshaya Group operates more than 800 Starbucks locations across Eurasia, including Turkey, Kazakhstan, and Azerbaijan.
