"Despite aggressive expansion in mainland China and sourcing Yunnan beans, Starbucks has yet to open retail outlets in Kunming or elsewhere in Yunnan." Good! -- the last thing we need in Yunnan is an international chain replicating here what can be found on streetcorners every place else in the world you go these days. Let's hope Yunnan remains distinctive.

Huh? How is Yunnan distinctive from rural areas in any other country with a centrally controlled economic system(which is pretty much any "modern and developed" country today)? How is The Brother's Jiang expanding everywhere in Yunnan different from Starbucks trying to expand in Yunnan?

Do you think Iowa has lost its distinctness because of all the Mexican and Chinese restaurants that have opened up? Oh wait, even though they almost all serve the same food, and their suppliers are almost all the same... it's so much better because they all have a different name... cripes, it's just marketing.

You can go to any city in Yunnan and you will see the same products being sold in all of them. What does it matter if the name of the store is in Chinese or in English? Does this somehow prevent you from speaking to the people who work there? Does it stop you from taking your time? It's just a marketing symbol, get over it.

Cheers founder! If Europe or America are models for the "Starbucks impact" there will be no more Salvadors, French Cafe or Prague in the future. Starbuck will take over WenLin Jie (because we go there) and the beautiful diversity of coffee shops in this town will vanish. So Ouyang, no I will not get over it.

just imagine: "Salvador's opens 50th store in Peru"

what then? the horrors! a successful indie brand from Kunming has gone global, and that makes them "bad", just because of their success?

and i expect Salvador's would have the sense to change their menu for different markets, as most international chains in China have.

brands are everything, and the market is always right.

Starbucks offers a certain kind of environment that most Asian replications can't duplicate. Starbucks will fill the lack for the many people who enjoy this kind of environment. For those that don't, the local coffee shops won't go anywhere.

I just hope their toilet is Western..

I agree with hedgepig, Starbucks is everywhere because they know how the market works and can make good coffee. I can't wait for one to come to kunming, most of the small coffee shops will still get business if the coffee is any good. Most of the coffee at those small places is crap though, so Starbucks will make them improve their own coffee