SHAH ALAM - In recent weeks, social media has been abuzz with speculations about Starbucks potentially changing its brand to Vista Coffee.
Viral social media posts claimed that certain Starbucks outlets, including one at Dublin Airport, had allegedly rebranded as Vista Coffee to attract customers amid boycotts.
Dublin Airport officially announced the opening of a new cafe shop outlet in Terminal 1 on Jan 4, generating significant attention, with 13 million views on X.
Many believed Vista Coffee was a rebrand of Starbucks.
However, recent fact-checks revealed that Starbucks remains unchanged, and only one outlet at Dublin Airport transitioned to "Vista Coffee" temporarily after its contract ended.
Photos circulating online depicted the Dublin Airport cafe's shift, featuring a mix of Vista signage and Starbucks branding on menus.
According to Verify news outlet, Dublin Airport's media relations manager Graeme McQueen explained in an email that the Starbucks in Terminal 1 closed at the end of December when its contract expired.
A Starbucks spokesperson confirmed the closure, citing routine portfolio reviews.
McQueen informed Verify that a new company has temporarily opened in the same location under the Vista Coffee brand "to ensure passengers can continue to get their caffeine fix."
She clarified that it is not affiliated with Starbucks.
Meanwhile, In India, Starbucks cafes are operated by Tata Starbucks Pvt Ltd.
It is reportedly a 50:50 Joint Venture between Tata Consumer Product Ltd (TCPL) and Emerald City CV, a wholly-owned entity of Starbucks Corporation, USA.
Tata Starbucks has reported a net loss of Rs 24.97 crore from its operations in India for the financial year ended March 31, 2023, according to financial data accessed through business intelligence platform Tofler, Business Standard reported.
Starbucks’ empty outlets in India are a reflection of the widespread boycott movement against products linked to Israel and the ongoing occupation of Gaza.