A donation of five computers and a printer to the Elizabeth Estates Children’s Home was the “whipped cream” bonus to the ribbon cutting ceremony as Coffee Cay Ltd., the operating licensee of Starbucks in The Bahamas, officially opened its first drive-thru Starbucks store in the market, in the One East Shopping Plaza on Prince Charles Drive.
With the introduction of the new store format, Starbucks officials said it strives to meet customers’ needs of convenience, connection and personalization while creating new and meaningful experiences for them.
One such new experience available at the Starbucks at One East Shopping Plaza is the offering of Nitro Cold Brew on tap. It is created when signature Cold Brew (slow-steeped for 20 hours) is infused with nitrogen as it pours from the tap. Nitrogen infusion creates microbubbles giving the coffee a cascading, frothy texture. The result is a velvety-smooth coffee with a subtly sweet flavor and a rich, creamy head of foam. The only other location currently serving Nitro Cold Brew are the Starbucks locations at Baha Mar.
“The opening of our first drive-thru store showcases our continued commitment to evolving the Starbucks brand in The Bahamas while supporting our communities,” said Dino Matsas, food and beverage general manager, Coffee Cay Ltd. “This new format will enable us to create new connections that meet our customers’ needs and satisfy their growing demand for premium coffee on-the-go.”
The Starbucks drive-thru, as its name implies, has been designed to serve customers through the drive thru window, with a majority of sales running through that channel. Additional sales channels are also available for customers and include both the traditional interior café and for those that choose to park, walk-up and order to go, their mobile order and pay pick-up window conveniently accessible from the sidewalk. The new drive-thru store features a unique design, with finishes inside that create a warm, serene, and inviting atmosphere, including walnut wood, pale greens, and a textured wallcovering. The wall artwork features tropical birds and plants among coffee plants, giving the space an uplifting, colorful layer.
With its new store, Starbucks Bahamas aims to balance speed and quality while differentiating the customer experience. Located just off the main thoroughfare of Prince Charles Drive, the drive-thru store is specially designed to provide a unique on-the-go experience in a safe and familiar way, while continuing to elevate the Starbucks experience for customers in The Bahamas. The new location created 18 new jobs and marked Starbucks’ 14th store since arriving in the market in 2005, with over 150 partners (employees) proudly wearing the green apron nationwide.
Starbucks recognizes its responsibility to strengthen the communities where it operates. Earlier this year, The Starbucks Foundation awarded a Global Community Impact Grant to Project I.C.E. Bahamas, supporting communities in Nassau, New Providence to establish a fully functional farming program to produce vegetables and fruits to deprived communities and any part of the population demonstrably in need. As part of the program, Starbucks Bahamas partners volunteered with Project I.C.E., helping to plant and clean a community garden.
Starbucks officials say they remain committed to continue adapting its customer experience for on-the-go occasions through formats such as drive-thru in the market and across the region.