On April 21, Starbucks opened its coffeeshop in the very heart of Amsterdam. The first fully-owned Starbucks store is located at 101 Leidsestraat, in a district popular with shoppers. Though it is the 11th location of Starbucks in Netherlands, its opening is just an initial step marking Starbucks entrance into European market, as the brand plans to launch the second coffeeshop in Amsterdam this summer.

Starbucks has been present in Netherland since 2002, when it opened its EMEA headquarters and Coffee Roasting Plant in Amsterdam. To date it is the only Starbucks-owned facility located outside of the United States.

Rich Nelsen, president of Starbucks Coffee EMEA, said: “As we celebrate our company’s 40th anniversary we are excited to open our first store in the very heart of Amsterdam. We are determined to be true to our original promise – to deliver the highest quality, locally roasted coffee and customer service in exceptional stores, and we will never compromise on our founding principle of running a business that is socially and ethically responsible. We look forward to continuing to introduce our high-quality coffees and unique Starbucks Experience to customers in the Netherlands.”