Starbucks first opened in Auckland in 1998 after a licensing partnership with Restaurant Brands. For the past two decades, Starbucks in New Zealand has faced stiff competition which has affected its expansion goals in the country.
More than 50% of New Zealand’s population drinks coffee every day. With the high demand, the country’s coffee market competition is stiff for brands like Starbucks.
Despite the competition, Starbucks has grown its operation in New Zealand from 22 in 2018 to 34 in 2023. As of 2019, the coffee chain had a sales value of 16 million New Zealand dollars and continues to grow.
This article will cover the distribution of Starbucks in New Zealand as well as its major competitors.
Table of Contents
Number of Starbucks in New Zealand by region
State | Number of Starbucks stores | Percentage (%) share of total Starbucks stores in New Zealand (34) |
Auckland | 17 | 50% |
Wellington | 3 | 9% |
Canterbury | 3 | 9% |
Otago | 2 | 6% |
Waikato | 2 | 6% |
Taranaki | 1 | 3% |
Southland | 1 | 3% |
Hawke’s Bay | 1 | 3% |
New Zealand regions without Starbucks stores
- Bay of Plenty
- Chatham Islands
- Gisborne
- Manawatu-Wanganui
- Marlborough
- Nelson
- Northland
- Tasman
- West Coast
Top 10 cities with the most number of Starbucks stores in New Zealand
City | Region | Number of Starbucks stores | Percentage (%) share of stores in the region |
Auckland | Auckland | 15 | 88% |
Christchurch | Canterbury | 3 | 100% |
Wellington | Wellington | 2 | 67% |
Hamilton | Waikato | 2 | 100% |
Napier | Hawke’s Bay | 1 | 100% |
Henderson | Auckland | 1 | 6% |
Westgate | Auckland | 1 | 6% |
Invercargill | Southland | 1 | 100% |
New Plymouth | Taranaki | 1 | 100% |
Dunedin | Otago | 1 | 50% |
Starbucks competitors in New Zealand
Company | Number of Stores |
Starbucks | 34 |
Columbus | 70 |
The coffee club New Zealand | 50 |
Robert Harris | 25 |
Mojo | 17 |
Coffix | 12 |
Mia Grace is a coffee expert who has been passionate about this drink for years. Her love for this beverage inspired her to learn everything about it. Today, Mia Grace is an expert on every coffee-related topic, including its history, roast levels, coffee beans, aromas, new trends, and preparation techniques. Due to her years of experience with this beverage, she is more than capable of sharing everything Starbmag readers would like to know about it. She feels privileged to share her expertise on coffee-related topics and enjoys helping others develop a passion for this drink. You can read more about me on the about us page.