Starbucks Excels Expansion

SEATTLE-Starbucks Corp. opened a record 2,199 stores around the globe in the last fiscal year, and could ultimately be a 40,000-store chain worldwide, half of those outside the United States, executives said at its fourth quarter conference call.

Already at 12,000 stores in 37 countries (3,400 outside the United States), the company plans to open 2,400 more units in fiscal 2007, including debuts in Brazil and Egypt.

“We continue to see tremendous opportunity in store openings both in the U.S., and in International markets,” said Jim Donald, president and chief executive officer. The company opened 30% more stores in 2006 than in 2005, exceeding its original plan of opening 1,800 locations by nearly 400 units.