Starbucks to Open Coffee Bars in Albertsons

Starbucks Corp. said it has signed a licensing agreement with Albertson’s Inc., the nation’s No. 2 U.S. supermarket chain, to open more than 100 coffee bars in Albertsons stores. Terms weren’t disclosed. Seattle-based Starbucks opened its first coffee bar in an Albertsons store in Boise, Idaho, last week, a spokeswoman said. It will begin selling coffee, teas, pastries, ice cream and other Starbucks merchandise in the others by next year. At least 12 Starbucks are planned for new or remodeled Albertsons stores in Southern California, in the communities of Van Nuys, Atascadero, San Diego, West Covina, Laguna Hills, Huntington Beach, Torrance, Cypress, Fullerton, Simi Valley, La Habra and Orcutt. Other chains also are experimenting with coffee bars to give their sales a jolt. Ralphs Grocery Co. has rolled out a new store prototype in San Diego County that contains a coffee bar and bookshop, officials say. Starbucks, which operates more than 2,500 coffee shops, also sells whole-bean coffees in supermarkets and online. Boise-based Albertson’s operates more than 2,450 retail stores in 38 states. On the New York Stock Exchange, Albertson’s shares fell 13 cents to close at $34.44; Starbucks was unchanged at $28.31.