Starbucks plans to grow its presence in the Middle East, adding 500 new stores and creating 5,000 jobs over the next five years.
CEO Brian Niccol announced the expansion on Bloomberg Television on Friday, as the company seeks to recover from last year’s challenges and consumer boycotts in the region.
Starbucks operates over 1,300 stores in the Middle East. Last year, the company faced backlash from customers who accused it of not pressuring Israel to end its offensive in Gaza.