Starbucks has inaugurated its 500th store in Thailand, a drive-through outlet in Bangkok, World Coffee Portal has reported.

The milestone is part of the US coffee chain's plan to operate 800 stores in the Southeast Asian nation by 2030.

The expansion strategy, in partnership with local franchise operator Coffee Concepts Thailand, places significant emphasis on drive-through facilities as a catalyst for growth.

Starbucks first entered the Thai market in 1998 with an outlet at the Central Chidlom department store in Bangkok.

In May 2019, Starbucks fully licensed its operations in Thailand to Coffee Concepts Thailand.

Coffee Concepts Thailand is a joint venture between the Singaporean food and beverage company F&N and the Hong Kong-based Maxim’s Group.

Maxim’s Group also holds licensing rights for Starbucks stores in Hong Kong, China; Vietnam;  Macau, China; Cambodia; Singapore, and Laos.

In March 2024, Starbucks certified 6,091 Greener Stores globally, almost doubling the number of such premises since March 2023.

The move marked a significant step by the coffee chain towards its target of 10,000 Greener Stores by 2025.

Starbucks intends to halve its carbon emissions, water usage and landfill waste by 2030.

Following recent expansions into countries such as Bahrain, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Thailand and Vietnam, Starbucks’ Greener Stores initiative now operates across 44 markets.

The chain has also announced the certification of four Greener Stores in the provinces of Alajuela and San José, Costa Rica. Both are operated in partnership with Premium Restaurants of America.