World's largest Starbucks store to open in China

Coffee chain giant Starbucks is set to open its biggest cafe in Shanghai, as it steps up its operations in China amid cooling growth in the US.

The 30,000 square-feet Starbucks Reserve Roastery on the famous West Nanjing Road shopping strip will open its doors on 6 December.

It is the second such high-end concept store opened by the coffee chain after the first opened in Seattle three years ago.

Starbucks said the flagship store provides a "multi-sensory retail experience", with consumers provided access to the roasting, packaging and brewing of coffee, while they indulge in a line of premium coffee called Reserve.

The Roastery cafe includes three wooden coffee bars and a dedicated bar that offers China's traditional drink, tea.

"We've created a space that both recognizes and celebrates our 46-year history of coffee leadership and retail innovation with China's rich, diverse culture," Starbucks executive chairman Howard Schultz said.

China is Starbucks's fastest-growing market with more than 3,000 stores across 136 cities, including 600 in Shanghai alone.

The world's largest coffee chain is facing reduced sales in America's malls as more and more people do their shopping online.

Same-store sales at US cafes were up 2% for the quarter ended 1 October, while sales in China were up 8%.

Starbucks plans to open other Roastery cafes in New York, Tokyo, Milan and Chicago.