Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts Set to Open in India

From LiveMint.com (WSJ partner in India) Mumbai: The world’s biggest coffee chain Starbucks said it will open its first store in India by the end of 2007 in either New Delhi or Mumbai.

From The Hindu: "People want to matter. They want to be more than a wallet with legs attached. Starbucks has shown that you can turn a commodity like coffee into an uplifting and memorable experience. Once that is done, customers make an emotional bond with the Starbucks product, which in turn produces brand loyalty and international success."

From LiveMint.com: "With Starbucks on its way in to India, can Dunkin’ Donuts be far behind? Dunkin Brands Inc., the world’s largest coffee and baked goods chain, is in discussions with potential Indian partners to roll out the brand, which sells nearly one billion cups of java each year.

“India is a huge opportunity. We want the wallets of the country’s 250 million middle-class households,” said a spokesman.

MP: Thousands of young Indians working in call centers provide customer service for millions of Americans, and they'll now buy coffee and donuts on their breaks from American companies like Starbucks and Dunkin' Donuts operating in Bangalore, Chennai, New Delhi and Mumbai. Seems like a win-win deal to me, and that's what international trade is all about. Without the call center jobs, they might not be able to afford Starbucks.

(HT: Sanil Kori)