Tata Starbucks
An Indian joint venture between Tata Consumer Products and Starbucks Corporation that operates Starbucks coffeehouses in India.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Tata Starbucks Private Limited is the Indian coffeehouse joint venture of Tata Consumer Products and Starbucks Corporation. The partners established the business to bring Starbucks retail coffee operations to India while combining Starbucks' international store model and beverage expertise with Tata's Indian operating experience, supply-chain capabilities, and knowledge of local consumer preferences. The venture is structured as a 50:50 partnership and operates Starbucks-branded outlets across the Indian market. The relationship followed an earlier attempt by Starbucks to enter India in 2007. In January 2011, Starbucks and Tata Coffee announced plans to develop the business, and the first Tata Starbucks store opened on 19 October 2012 in Mumbai's Elphinstone Building at Horniman Circle. The company then expanded to Delhi in January 2013, initially opening two airport outlets at Indira Gandhi International Airport's Terminal III and subsequently adding a store in Connaught Place. Pune and Bengaluru followed in 2013, establishing the brand in several of India's principal metropolitan markets. Although the venture initially targeted 50 stores by the end of 2013, its 50th Indian store opened in Chennai in July 2014. Expansion continued through a combination of high-street cafés, shopping-center locations, airport units, flagship stores, and later drive-through formats. The company opened a large coffee-focused flagship on Vittal Mallya Road in Bengaluru in 2019, entered Gujarat with simultaneous openings in Ahmedabad and Surat that same year, and later expanded into Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, and Rajasthan. It opened its first Indian drive-through in Zirakpur in July 2020 and its 200th store in Amritsar in October 2020. According to the supplied reference material, the network exceeded 457 outlets in more than 70 Indian cities by October 2024. Tata Starbucks generally offers the core Starbucks beverage range, including espresso-based drinks, brewed coffee, cold beverages, tea, and seasonal offerings, together with food, packaged items, merchandise, and bottled water. Its Indian menu also includes localized food such as paneer rolls, regional-style desserts, Indian-spiced bakery products, chicken rolls, and tandoori-inspired sandwiches. Espresso beverages sold in India use coffee roasted from Indian beans supplied through Tata's coffee business. In 2017, the company introduced Teavana teas, including India Spice Majesty Blend, a blend developed specifically for the Indian market using Assam tea and whole spices. The brand has also adapted its service model to Indian digital and consumption habits. Starbucks Delivers began in Mumbai in 2019 through a partnership with Swiggy, with plans for wider rollout. Stores provide free Wi-Fi, and the portfolio has included airport, flagship, conventional café, and drive-through formats. Sustainability was another stated operating objective: in 2019, chief executive Navin Gurnaney announced a plan to move stores toward compostable and recyclable packaging materials from June 2020. Tata Starbucks has faced regulatory and legal scrutiny. In 2015, it said it was suspending the use of ingredients that lacked approval from India's Food Safety and Standards Authority while it pursued the relevant approvals. A GST-related anti-profiteering case concerned the company's pricing after India's restaurant GST rate was reduced in November 2017. The National Anti-Profiteering Authority upheld the investigation's findings in 2020, imposed a monetary penalty and interest, and directed the company to pass on the tax benefit. Separately, Starbucks Corporation pursued a Delhi trademark dispute against SardarBuksh over similarities in naming and visual identity; the other chain agreed to change its name in 2018. Leadership changed in 2021 when Navin Gurnaney stepped down as chief executive and Sushant Dash, then associated with Tata Consumer Products' packaged-beverages business, became CEO effective 1 May. In 2023, Tata Starbucks used the #ItStartsWithYourName campaign, featuring transgender model and actress Siya Malasi. The campaign reflected the brand's use of inclusion and personal identity themes in Indian marketing. Overall, Tata Starbucks remains the vehicle through which Starbucks operates in India, with its business centered on premium café retail, localized menus, store expansion, digital delivery, and adaptation of the global Starbucks experience to Indian cities.
History
Starbucks had previously explored an Indian entry in 2007. A renewed partnership process began in January 2011, when Starbucks Corporation and Tata Coffee announced plans to develop Starbucks outlets in India. The resulting business became Tata Starbucks Private Limited, a 50:50 joint venture between Tata Consumer Products and Starbucks Corporation. The first store opened on 19 October 2012 in Mumbai's Elphinstone Building at Horniman Circle. The 4,500-square-foot location introduced the Starbucks café format to India through a partnership that paired Starbucks' beverage and retail systems with Tata's local market infrastructure. In 2013, the company opened two airport outlets at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport Terminal III, followed by a Connaught Place store. It also entered Pune in September and Bengaluru in November, including a substantial flagship-style store in Koramangala. The business had initially announced an ambition to reach 50 stores by the end of 2013, but the 50th store ultimately opened in Chennai on 8 July 2014. The company expanded its supply and operating platform alongside its stores. In 2013, it opened a coffee roasting and packaging plant in Kodagu, Karnataka, helping supply Indian outlets with locally sourced and roasted coffee. Tata Starbucks continued adding stores in subsequent financial years, opening 25 in 2017–18 and 30 in 2018–19. In March 2019, it opened a 3,000-square-foot coffee-focused store on Vittal Mallya Road in Bengaluru, described in the reference material as the country's largest coffee-forward Starbucks store at that time and the company's 140th Indian outlet. Geographic expansion accelerated from 2019 onward. Starbucks entered Gujarat in August 2019 with five stores opened across Ahmedabad and Surat. Its Ahmedabad flagship emphasized a broader vegetarian offering. The company opened its first Vadodara outlet in December 2019, then entered Punjab's drive-through market in July 2020 with a store in Zirakpur. Its 200th store opened in Amritsar in October 2020. In February 2021, Tata Starbucks entered Madhya Pradesh through stores in Indore and Bhopal, and in August it entered Rajasthan with two Jaipur stores. The company reported opening 40 stores in 2020–21 and 50 in 2021–22, with expansion into multiple new cities during those periods. Menu localization has been a persistent feature of the Indian operation. Alongside Starbucks' international beverages, stores have sold foods and desserts adapted to Indian tastes, including paneer-based rolls, tandoori-style items, regional desserts, spiced bakery products, and Indian-style chicken offerings. Espresso products use Indian roasted coffee beans supplied by Tata Coffee. In January 2017, Tata Starbucks added Teavana teas, including India Spice Majesty Blend, developed for the Indian market with Assam tea and spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper, star anise, and ginger. The company has also sold Himalayan bottled water and provided free Wi-Fi in stores. The business developed delivery and alternative store formats as customer behavior changed. Starbucks Delivers launched in Mumbai in early 2019 through Swiggy, with a stated intention to extend the service to other cities. In 2019, the company also announced a plan to transition stores to compostable and recyclable packaging materials from June 2020. Leadership changed in 2021: Navin Gurnaney stepped down as CEO, and Sushant Dash became CEO effective 1 May. Tata Starbucks has encountered food-regulatory, tax, and trademark-related issues. In 2015, it announced that it was suspending ingredients lacking approval from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India while seeking the necessary clearances. A separate anti-profiteering investigation examined whether the company passed on a reduction in restaurant GST introduced in November 2017. The National Anti-Profiteering Authority upheld the findings in November 2020, imposed a penalty and interest, and required price reductions to transfer the tax benefit to customers. Starbucks Corporation also litigated against SardarBuksh over alleged imitation of the Starbucks name and logo; the defendant agreed to change its name in September 2018. The Tata and Starbucks relationship has also supported activities beyond the Indian store network. Starbucks Reserve Tata Nullore Estates, sourced exclusively from India, was roasted and sold in Seattle in 2016 before being distributed more widely in the United States. Himalayan bottled water was also sold through Starbucks outlets in Singapore, and Tata Starbucks products were retailed aboard Vistara flights, the Tata Group's airline joint venture with Singapore Airlines. By October 2024, the supplied reference material described Tata Starbucks as operating more than 457 stores in over 70 Indian cities.
- 2023
#ItStartsWithYourName campaign
[1]The brand ran an inclusion-focused campaign featuring Siya Malasi.
- 2021
Leadership transition and new-state expansion
[1]Sushant Dash became CEO, while the company expanded into Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.
- 2020
First drive-through and 200th store
[1]The first Indian drive-through opened in Zirakpur, followed by the 200th store in Amritsar.
- 2019
Delivery and Gujarat expansion
[1]Starbucks Delivers began in Mumbai, while the company entered Gujarat and opened a major Bengaluru store.
- 2017
Teavana introduced in India
[1]Tata Starbucks launched an 18-variety Teavana selection, including an India-specific blend.
- 2014
50th Indian store opens
[1]The venture reached 50 stores with an outlet in Chennai on 8 July.
- 2013
Roasting and packaging plant opens in Kodagu
[1]A Karnataka facility began supplying roasted and packaged coffee to Indian outlets.
- 2012
First Tata Starbucks store opens
[1]The first Indian store opened at Horniman Circle in Mumbai on 19 October.
- 2011
Starbucks and Tata announce Indian development plans
[1]Starbucks Corporation and Tata Coffee publicly announced plans to develop Starbucks locations in India.
Products and positioning
Premium international coffeehouse brand localized for the Indian market
Coffee · 2012
Starbucks coffee beverages
The core offering includes espresso-based drinks, brewed coffee, cold coffee, and related Starbucks beverages. Indian stores use roasted Indian coffee beans supplied through Tata's coffee business, linking the global Starbucks beverage platform to local sourcing.
Food · 2012
Indian-inspired food menu
Tata Starbucks supplements international café food with localized products such as Tandoori Paneer Roll, Chicken Kathi Roll, Murg Tikka Panini, Elaichi Mewa Croissant, and Indian-style desserts including Chocolate Rossomalai Mousse and Malai Chom Chom Tiramisu.
Tea · 2017
Teavana
Introduced in India in 2017, Teavana provided 18 tea varieties. India Spice Majesty Blend was created for the Indian market using Assam black tea and a combination of cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, pepper, star anise, and ginger.
Delivery service · 2019
Starbucks Delivers
This home-delivery service began in Mumbai through a partnership with Swiggy. It was designed to extend the Starbucks store offer beyond cafés and was intended for rollout in additional cities.
Packaged beverage
Himalayan bottled mineral water
Tata Starbucks sells Himalayan bottled mineral water in its Indian operation. The Tata-Starbucks relationship has also supported distribution of the water through Starbucks outlets in Singapore.
Controversies
2020
Anti-Profiteering Authority ruling
The National Anti-Profiteering Authority upheld the GST-related findings, ordered corrective pricing, and imposed a penalty with interest.
2019
GST anti-profiteering investigation
The Directorate General of Anti-Profiteering found that Tata Starbucks had not fully passed on a restaurant GST reduction to customers, alleging that the base price of a coffee variant had been increased so its final price remained unchanged.
2018
SardarBuksh trademark dispute
Starbucks Corporation sued Delhi-based SardarBuksh over alleged similarities in its name and logo. The business agreed to change its name, while its co-founder indicated that the logo would not be changed at that stage.
Marketing campaigns
- 2023#ItStartsWithYourName
India
An inclusion-oriented advertising campaign featuring transgender model and actress Siya Malasi. The creative focused on names, identity, and personal recognition.
Brand decisions
2021
Appointment of Sushant Dash as CEOOtherBackground
Navin Gurnaney announced his departure as chief executive in February 2021.
Action taken
Sushant Dash replaced Gurnaney as CEO effective 1 May 2021.
Aftermath
The company continued store expansion during the following financial year.
2019
Packaging sustainability transitionStrategyBackground
The company sought to reduce reliance on conventional disposable packaging across its Indian store network.
Action taken
CEO Navin Gurnaney announced a transition to compostable and recyclable packaging materials from June 2020.
2019
Launch of Starbucks DeliversProduct launchBackground
Indian consumers were increasingly using app-based food delivery services.
Action taken
Tata Starbucks launched home delivery in Mumbai through Swiggy and planned expansion to other cities.
2017
Response to restaurant GST reductionStrategyBackground
India reduced the restaurant GST rate from 18% to 5% effective 17 November 2017.
Action taken
The company's pricing treatment was investigated by the Directorate General of Anti-Profiteering after allegations that the benefit had not been passed to customers.
Aftermath
The National Anti-Profiteering Authority upheld the findings in 2020 and ordered price reductions, together with a penalty and interest.
Penalty imposed by the National Anti-Profiteering Authority. ₹1.04 crore plus 18% interest (2020)
2015
Suspension of unapproved ingredientsOtherBackground
The company stated that certain ingredients used in its products had not been approved by India's Food Safety and Standards Authority.
Action taken
Tata Starbucks said it would suspend use of the ingredients and seek the required approvals.
Aftermath
The company did not publicly identify the ingredients or specific products in the supplied reference material.
Recent events
- 2023
Tata Starbucks launches #ItStartsWithYourName campaign[1]
Campaign
The campaign featured transgender model and actress Siya Malasi and centered on identity and inclusion.
- 2021
Tata Starbucks changes chief executive[1]
Leadership change
Navin Gurnaney stepped down and Sushant Dash became chief executive effective 1 May 2021.
- 2020
Tata Starbucks opens first Indian drive-through[1]
Product launch
The company opened its first drive-through format in India at Zirakpur, Punjab.
- 2020
Tata Starbucks reaches 200 Indian stores[1]
Other
The 200th store opened in Amritsar as the company continued expansion during the 2020–21 financial year.
- 2019
Tata Starbucks begins Starbucks Delivers[1]
Product launch
The company launched home delivery in Mumbai through Swiggy, with an intended expansion to additional cities.
- 2019
Tata Starbucks announces packaging transition[1]
Other
Chief executive Navin Gurnaney announced an objective to use compostable and recyclable packaging materials across Indian stores from June 2020.
- 2019
Starbucks enters Gujarat with five stores[1]
Other
Tata Starbucks opened stores in Ahmedabad and Surat, beginning its presence in Gujarat.
- 2017
Tata Starbucks launches Teavana in India[1]
Product launch
The company introduced a broad Teavana tea selection, including a spice-forward blend created specifically for Indian customers.
- 2013
Tata Starbucks expands to Delhi[1]
Other
The company entered Delhi through two airport stores and later opened a location in Connaught Place.
- 2012
Tata Starbucks opens its first Indian store in Mumbai[1]
Other
The joint venture opened its first Starbucks outlet in India at Mumbai's Horniman Circle, marking the operational launch of the brand in the country.
Sources5 sources
- 1Tata Starbucksen.wikipedia.org
- 2Tata Starbucks appoints Sushant Dash as new CEO, Navin Gurnaney to step down- Moneycontrol.commoneycontrol.com
- 3Tata Starbucks introduces app-based order, payment facility- Moneycontrol.commoneycontrol.com
- 4Tata Starbucks opens all-women storesinsideretail.asia
- 5Tata Starbucks opens its first drive-thru storethehindubusinessline.com
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