Stressing the “humility and respect” with which they are undertaking this endeavor, Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz announced recently that in early 2017, Starbucks will finally open their first store in Italy. It may be surprising that such a store doesn’t exist already, especially since the Starbucks brand was born out of Schultz’s first trip to Milan 33 years ago, but the company is understandably cautious about bringing one of the largest chains in the world to a culture that prizes small-scale coffee operations and exquisite attention to detail.

Starbucks will be partnering with Italian brand, retail and real estate developer Percassi to bring the first Italian store to life in Milan, with plans to open more down the line. In a blog post announcing this opening, Starbucks mentions Percassi’s values and commitment to youth development as key elements of their choice. Antonio Percassi, the company’s president, states that, “We know that we are going to face a unique challenge with the opening of the first Starbucks store in Italy, the country of coffee, and we are confident that Italian people are ready to live the Starbucks experience, as already occurs in many other markets.”

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