Starbucks: The world's largest coffee chain is withdrawing from Russia

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Starbucks store in St. Petersburg

Photo: ANTON VAGANOV / REUTERS

The world's largest coffee chain, Starbucks, wants to withdraw completely from Russia after around 15 years in view of the war against Ukraine.

The group announced that it would permanently close its stores in the country and give up its brand presence there.

Starbucks suspended operations in Russia in March to protest the invasion of Ukraine.

The chain has been represented in Russia since 2007 and most recently had around 130 branches there with around 2,000 employees.

According to Starbucks, it wants to continue to pay the employees for six months and support them in their search for new jobs.

The group initially did not provide any information on the specific schedule and process of the withdrawal from Russia or on the financial details.

McDonald's, Siemens, Henkel

Starbucks is in good company with its withdrawal: just a week ago, the US fast-food chain McDonald's announced that it would be going out of business in the country of 144 million people as a result of the Russian war of aggression.

After more than 30 years in the country, McDonald's wants to sell the branches to a Russian buyer, the group announced.

The company had come to the conclusion that ownership of the Russian activities was no longer tenable and no longer in line with the company's values.

Large German companies have long since drawn consequences.

"We condemn the war in Ukraine and have decided to end our industrial business activities in Russia in an orderly process," Siemens CEO Roland Busch announced on May 12.

The consumer goods group Henkel announced in mid-April that it would withdraw completely from the country.

Henkel has been active in Russia for more than 30 years and operates eleven production sites there.

The group recently generated sales of around one billion euros in Russia.

bam/dpa