The Princi brand will continue to be featured in 12 Starbucks locations. Credit: Papin Lab/Shutterstock.

Starbucks is phasing out the Princi brand of Italian baked goods from its upscale Roastery and Reserve locations in the US and China, Bloomberg News has reported.

Despite the removal of Princi branding, Starbucks’ food offerings, which include items such as salami sandwiches and Italian-style croissants, will remain unchanged.

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The decision to retreat from the Princi initiative, a vision of former CEO Howard Schultz, reflects a shift in the company’s strategy.

Schultz, who transformed Starbucks into a global brand, originally planned to open more than two dozen Roastery locations worldwide.

The partnership with Princi began in 2016 when Schultz was inspired by meeting with baker Rocco Princi in Italy.

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However, the Princi brand will continue to be featured in 12 Starbucks locations, including the Milan and Tokyo Roasteries and ten stores in Tokyo.

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The change precedes the tenure of new CEO Brian Niccol, who assumed his role on 9 September 2024 and is tasked with addressing sales challenges.

The reasons for the Princi branding removal have not been disclosed.

Starbucks spokesperson stated: “We look forward to continuing to offer customers at our Starbucks Reserve locations in the US the same menu of handcrafted, artisanal food made from high-quality ingredients and prepared daily by our chefs.”

In September 2024, Starbucks Thailand launched its third community store, located in the Mae Rim district of Chiang Mai at Kad Farang Village.

The new restaurant aims to strengthen the company’s ties with local coffee farmers and features wooden lattices that complement the store’s interior.