Starbucks China denies reports of franchise opening

2026.04.21 Starbucks China said on Tuesday that reports claiming it has begun opening franchise opportunities nationwide are false, in response to a query from Jiemian News. Posts circulating on social media had said the company would roll out franchising in phases from April, with per-store investment estimated at 1.1 million to 1.3 million yuan ($161,000–$190,000).