Starbucks Corp. is removing the Princi brand of Italian baked goods from many of its higher-end cafes, stepping back from an initiative championed by longtime leader Howard Schultz.
The chain¡¯s eight Roastery and Reserve locations in the U.S. and China will phase out the label, according to an internal memo seen by Bloomberg News, which didn¡¯t outline the timeline for the removal. The stores¡¯ food assortment ¡ª which includes products such as a salami sandwich on focaccia bread and an Italian-style croissant ¡ª won¡¯t change. But the Princi branding will be scrubbed.
Starbucks¡¯ retreat from Princi marks another Schultz dream that fizzled, along with a goal to open more than two dozen Roastery locations around the world. The company bought a stake in the European purveyor of baked goods in 2016 after Schultz met baker Rocco Princi.
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