Tata Starbucks Joint Venture – Variance from its Vision?

Starbucks making its way into the Indian coffee market at the end of this month comes as no surprise, given their precious success and popularity. What is unusual is that Starbucks, infamous for its strong branding and praised for its effective marketing, will be infiltrating the the world’s second largest population as a joint venture with Tata at the end of this month.

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Although I don’t doubt that they will be successful in India, the questions of whether the essence of the Starbucks brand will remain, given its association with Tata. As Rupinder’s Commerce Blog regarding this joint venture asked, “will Indian consumers associate Tata Starbucks with Tata or with Starbucks?”

In Debbie Millman’s article, “How Starbucks Transformed Coffee From A Commodity Into A $4 Splurge”, she discussed how Stanley Hainsworth, Vice-President Global Creative at Starbucks, said that “Many brands have lost their way in the process of evolving from a small company to a much bigger corporation.” I am curious to follow this development, and see whether the vision of Starbucks will vary, or remain true to itself in the shadow of Tata’s pre-established presence in India.