Coffeehouse chain Starbucks is set to open a new sustainability learning and innovation lab at Hacienda Alsacia in Costa Rica.

The proposed lab will provide hands-on and virtual learning opportunities for Starbucks partners, employees, students, researchers and industry leaders to create and scale sustainable offerings for challenging environmental and social issues such as climate adaptation and agricultural economics. 

The lab is expected to open in the next three years. 

In addition, Starbucks has collaborated with Arizona State University (ASU) to develop educational programming for the lab, with a plan to offer the first set of courses to ASU students and Starbucks partners this year.

The first set will use ASU’s educational technology to offer multiple experiences such as study abroad opportunities connected to current ASU degree programmes, including Sustainability, Sustainable Food Systems and Global Agribusiness.

Starbucks’ Hacienda Alsacia location is the first and only coffee farm owned and operated by the company.

It also serves as the firm’s global agronomy headquarters for research and development, enabling Starbucks to develop new coffee variants, test disease-resistant coffee trees and create and share agricultural practices for greater yield.

Starbucks CEO Laxman Narasimhan said: “This is an opportunity for us to advance Starbucks' environmental promise to give more than we take and our farmer promise to ensure the future of coffee for all.

“We know we cannot do this important work alone and the possibilities in front of us to scale solutions, partner with thought leaders and serve as a global hub for innovation are limitless.”

The latest development comes shortly after Starbucks announced the launch of cheaper and smaller-sized drinks in India.