TimeOut asks an important question.
Prompted by the entry of Starbucks into the Italian market, TimeOut’s Marc Rowlands asks why they are no Starbucks outlets in Croatia. The Seattle-based chain was established in 1971, it has more than 30,000 coffee shops around the world, and it recently opened one in Milan. Time will show whether this will be another great success of the brand. But people who run Starbucks are not amateurs and it is certain that before investing a large amount of money they carried out thorough research, which raises the question of why they have not yet come to Croatia.
Although there are no Starbucks in Croatia, that does not mean that the brand has not considered the option of opening its cafes in Croatia. Rumours about its opening in the capital are almost a decade old.
Perhaps Starbucks has researched Croatia’s coffee drinking culture and came to the conclusion that it would be a too risky endeavour. But, it is not like they haven’t gambled before and won. “Croatian coffee culture certainly doesn’t fit neatly into the business model of how Starbucks operates in other countries. Can you imagine a Croatian coffee drinker taking a coffee to go? Or working whilst drinking coffee? Or drinking coffee as a solitary pursuit? There’s more chance of Croatia’s next ruling party being decided by a knockout disco dancing competition. It’s absolutely unthinkable,” writes TimeOut.
“The only people in Croatia whose social lives do not revolve around going for coffee are the deceased. You go for coffee for a business meeting, you go for coffee when you’re catching up with your friend or family. And you take your time. One small cup of coffee in Croatia can easily last two or three hours. That’s no joke,” adds TimeOut.
The writer also notes that Starbucks would never understand the coffee-drinking rules in Croatia. “Firstly, most Croatians have their own cafe bar. That’s not to say they actually own the place, but they usually do have a regular spot where they like to go. Secondly, you can never interrupt a Croatian couple who are having coffee. Joining two friends drinking coffee at a table in Croatia, without prior arrangement, would be considered as rude as if you had intercourse with one of their spouses in front of them on the terrace. The coffee drinker might be your long-lost brother, not seen since he was taken from your tearful mother’s arms some 20 years ago, but it would still not be acceptable to interrupt him and his friend for more than the time it takes to say ‘Hi, I’ll call you!’ and certainly not attempt to join them.”
The write correctly notes that “going on coffee” in Croatia can mean many things, including spending hours in gossip or drinking something which is not coffee at all.
“It’s doubtful that Starbucks could ever get to grips with Croatia’s such distinct rules for coffee culture. And, perhaps there’s little point in them trying to turn a profit on a terrace that has been full of people all day, but which has only sold twenty small cups of coffee? There could be a multitude of reasons why Starbucks have not ventured yet into the Croatian territory. One thing’s for certain, if they do consider coming to Croatia, it won’t be like their arrival in England. In Croatia they won’t be introducing a coffee culture, they’ll be learning one.”
