Starbucks cites ‘early signs’ of recovery as it reopens stores in China

Things are getting back to normal for Starbucks in China.

Starbucks has reopened the majority of its locations in China that it had temporarily closed in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak. In a letter to employees, Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said the company now has 85% of its stores open across the country, including its Reserve Roastery in Shanghai.

“With the number of new cases in China slowing, we are seeing the early signs of a recovery in the region,” Johnson wrote. “As a result, the situation is improving throughout major parts of China.” 

China is Starbucks’ second-largest market, with approximately 4,290 stores.

Among the locations that had been temporarily shuttered was the company’s Reserve Roastery in Shanghai, which recently reopened its doors. 

“That was necessary to protect the safety of our partners and our customers, and we also want to make sure we do our part to not help spread the virus in this country,” Starbucks China CEO Belinda Wong said in a video posted on Twitter from inside the Roastery.