What replaced Starbucks in Russia?
A new coffee chain is taking over Starbucks outlets in Russia after the US company pulled out over the invasion of Ukraine. Stars Coffee, which opened its first Moscow café on Thursday, is owned by a pro-Putin rapper and a restaurateur. Starbucks is leaving Russia after 15 years in business. The coffee chain had temporarily shut down its stores in March over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. This is the second major exit of a global American brand from Russia, after McDonald’s last week began de-arching its entire chain after 32 years.However, over 2,220 companies continue to operate in Russia. These include major corporations such as Philip Morris, Japan Tobacco International, PepsiCo, Raiffeisen Bank, Mars, Nestlé, Metro, Mondelez, and Coca-Cola. Their operations continue to sustain the economy of the aggressor state.Coffee is one of the world’s most popular beverages. Brazil is the world’s top coffee producer, followed by Vietnam and Colombia. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Brazil is expected to produce 66.