What are some of the differences from doing business in America?
Eighty percent of all our business in America is to-go. More than 80 percent of all our business in China is people staying in the stores. The interesting thing is that, in many ways, Starbucks stores are as large or larger than their own homes. It has become a primary place for young people to date. I couldn’t walk into a Starbucks store in China and not see a business meeting going on. And the hours of operation, in terms of when our stores are busiest, is not in the morning, when we’re busiest in America, but in the afternoon or at night. Q: What’s the most popular drink in China? A: I think it’s a Caffè Latte, but our Frappuccino business did well because of the hot summer. Interestingly enough, the success we enjoyed this summer in America because of the Green Tea Frappuccino — that product was born in Taiwan. It is the first product that Starbucks America did not create. Q: How do you handle distribution issues as you expand in China? A: We have hired people who have that knowled
