SSP set to open first Starbucks store at Helsinki Airport

Starbucks’ first store at Helsinki Airport opens early next year, in partnership with SSP

FINLAND. Starbucks Coffee Company and leading food travel service provider SSP are to open the first Starbucks store at Helsinki Airport in early 2012.

The move is another step in the partners’ drive into the Nordic market. Last month Starbucks and SSP announced plans to open a store at Oslo Gardermoen Airport, also in early 2012.

SSP will operate two Starbucks stores at Helsinki Airport. One will be located in the Arrivals hall where it will be accessible to passengers and visitors from the city. The other will be located past security for passengers boarding flights.

“Since we opened the first Starbucks store in Sweden, it has consistently performed above expectations,” said SSP Chief Executive Andrew Lynch. “We’re delighted to now be building on this achievement with the opening of these new stores to bring the “˜Starbucks experience’ to customers in Finland and Norway.”

Starbucks opened its first store in Sweden with SSP in 2010, airside at Stockholm Arlanda Airport. It will also be opening the first Starbucks accessible to non-travelling customers at Gothenberg and Malmö railway stations. All the new stores will open in early 2012.

“We are looking forward to meeting our new customers in Helsinki, Gothenburg and Malmö and we are delighted to further our expansion into the Nordics,” said Rich Nelsen, President of Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa.

“This expansion is consistent with our growth strategy to further develop our existing retail business in the travel channel with skilled and experienced partners like SSP.”

SSP entered into a strategic relationship with Starbucks in June, 2008. Since that time, the company has opened 29 stores in the UK, Spain, France, Germany, Switzerland and Sweden.

This announcement follows the launch of Starbucks Iced Latte, Starbucks Doubleshot Espresso and Milk, and Starbucks bottled Frappuccino coffee drinks in grocery and convenience stores in Denmark, Finland, and Norway.