First Starbucks store officially opens in Tbilisi

The first Starbucks store has officially opened in Tbilisi, marking the global coffee chain’s entry into the Georgian market. The brand is being introduced in Georgia by Alshaya Group, Starbucks’ licensed franchise operator across Eurasia and the Middle East.

According to Georgia’s Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development, the opening ceremony was attended by Deputy Economy Minister Irakli Nadareishvili, representatives of the executive government and business sector, as well as senior executives from Alshaya Group.

Nadareishvili said Starbucks’ arrival sends a positive signal to the international business community about Georgia’s attractiveness as a destination for investment and business development.

“This is a vote of confidence in the investment and business environment that the Georgian government has consistently maintained over the years. For the past decade, Georgia has remained among the leading countries in major international rankings assessing the attractiveness of investment and business environments. Starbucks is not just an ordinary company—it is a global brand with around 40,000 stores in more than 80 countries,” he said.

The Ministry noted that Starbucks’ entry into the Georgian market was facilitated with the involvement of the Ministry’s investment agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Georgian Embassy in Kuwait.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony was attended by Deputy Economy Minister Irakli Nadareishvili, Chairman of Georgia’s Investment Agency Mikheil Khidureli, Alshaya Group Executive Chairman Mohammed Alshaya, Chief Executive Officer John Hadden, Starbucks Alshaya President Saleh Alshaya, and Starbucks EMEA President Duncan Moir.