A successor to Starbucks opens in Russia – with a similar logo, some customers can feel it.
Stars Coffee was officially unveiled in Moscow on Thursday, 24 hours before stores start welcoming coffee lovers.
The original mark was one of many big companies that left Russia Next Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine.
Rapper Timati and restaurateur Anton Pinskiy bought the assets and use the same locations.
Starbucks had 130 stores in Russia and nearly 2,000 employees. There will be a phased reopening this month and next, Mr Pinskiy said.
The new logo features the image of a woman with a star above her head.
Banned from using the current Starbucks logo, Timati said he wanted to find some continuity.
The branding, with its circular shape and “feminine gender,” contrasts nicely with its brown “masculine color,” he said.
However, it is only brown on the outside. In the middle is green.
“If you compare, other than the circle, you won’t find anything in common,” Pinskiy said.
He conceded, however, that “people’s perceptions may be different”.
Starbucks declined to comment on the logo and name similarity.
Rapper Timati, co-owner of the company
Stars Coffee imports its coffee beans from Latin America and Africa, Pinskiy said, while suppliers of other items are based in Russia.
“We just found other suppliers, found the right roasters, and because the baristas mixed everything right, we have a
product that we believe will be competitive,” he said.
The company follows the strategy of revive closed McDonald’s outlets under a new name but with much the same menu.
