Starbucks Increases Presence in Puerto Rico with Two New Locations

With an investment of USD 2.4 million, Starbucks expands its presence in the Puerto Rican market with the opening of new stores in the municipalities of Caguas and Ponce.

San Juan, Puerto Rico - Today, Starbucks, operated in Puerto Rico by Baristas del Caribe, LLC. (BDC), has announced the official opening of two new locations in the market: a new drive-thru store at the Bairoa Shopping Center in the municipality of Caguas, and a brand-new kiosk at Plaza Del Caribe, marking an expansion into the vibrant city of Ponce.

“These new stores in Caguas and Ponce, marking the 33rd and 34^th locations in the market, respectively, showcase the continued growth of Starbucks Puerto Rico, which now operates in 9 municipalities across the island, with a dedicated team of over 740 partners (employees) proudly wearing the Green Apron.  ,” said Jaime Luis Fonalledas, president of Baristas del Caribe.  “At Starbucks Puerto Rico, we strive to create connection moments and provide a warm and welcoming experience for customers to enjoy high-quality arabica coffee and handcrafted beverages.”

The inauguration of the new store in Bairoa Shopping Center in Caguas and the addition of the new kiosk at Plaza Del Caribe in Ponce required a combined investment of resulting in the creation of approximately 50 new jobs across the two locations.

“At the heart of Starbucks is the commitment to create a third place, a space for conversation and creativity.  We strive to be a place where ideas are born, relationships are forged, and dreams take flight.  These new stores in Caguas and Ponce seamlessly extend that vision, offering warm and welcoming spaces for the community to come together,” added Idis Ortiz-López, general manager of Starbucks in Puerto Rico.

Aligned with the brand’s reinvention plans, the new stores embrace innovations that enhance the Starbucks Experience for both customers and partners (employees), showcasing cutting-edge coffee machines as an example.

Additionally, these establishments actively participate in the Starbucks Grounds For Your Garden initiative, which provides customers with free bags of used coffee grounds to take home and use as an alternative to green compost or fertilizer.  Furthermore, each store will collaborate with and offer volunteer services to identified community organizations in their respective areas.

Operating hours for the Bairoa Shopping Center store are from 6:00 am to 9:30 pm Monday through Thursday; 6:00 am to 10:30 pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 7:00 am to 9:30 pm on Sundays.  Meanwhile, the Plaza Del Caribe kiosk will operate from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm from Monday through Saturday and from 11:00 am to 7:00 pm on Sundays.