Starbucks was one of the first foreign coffee brands to enter the Indian market, but its growth in India has been slow and now it faces challenges from rapidly growing domestic rivals. Here’s how Starbucks plans to maintain its foothold in the country.

In Short

• Starbucks revamps its India strategy to take on domestic rivals
• More chai and nominal pricing key aspects of fresh plan
• Starbucks India also plans expand operations in smaller cities

By India Today Business Desk: US-based Starbucks has brewed a fresh strategy to take on domestic rivals in India, including the likes of Third Wave Coffee and Blue Tokai.

The popular multinational coffeehouse chain, which operates in India as part of a joint venture with the Tata Group, has introduced cheaper beverages as it looks to penetrate into smaller towns as it faces competition in urban areas from newly established domestic brands, reported news agency Reuters.

Starbucks was one of the first foreign coffee brands to enter the Indian market, but it has taken the company more than a decade to open 343 stores, far lower than private equity-based chains Third Wave Coffee and Blue Tokai. Both have opened around 150 stores in the past three years.