Starbucks Belgium

What Starbucks Belgium does

Starbucks Belgium operates the Starbucks specialty coffeehouse brand in Belgium under the legal entity Café Sirène, a Belgian naamloze vennootschap (public limited company, company number 0719.429.796) registered at Square de Meeûs 40, 1000 Brussels. The entity is a subsidiary of Alsea SAB, which holds the master operating license from Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) for Belgium and the Netherlands. The business serves Belgian consumers through physical Starbucks retail stores offering specialty coffee beverages, teas, food, and branded merchandise, with a product portfolio spanning three roast profiles (Blonde, Medium, Dark) across named single-origin offerings including Pike Place, Colombia Nariño, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sumatra, and Caffe Verona.

The core product is the in-store specialty coffee and beverage experience, supplemented by whole bean coffee for home preparation and Starbucks At Home capsules distributed through Nestlé's Nespresso and Dolce Gusto channels. The digital layer consists of the Starbucks Mobile Application for iOS and Android, which provides mobile order-ahead (MOP), mobile payment via the Starbucks Card stored-value system, voice ordering using speech recognition, eGift functionality, and GPS/iBeacon-based location services. The Starbucks Rewards loyalty program is integrated into the app, tying digital engagement to in-store spend, and a Starbucks Stories content platform covers Partner Stories, Sustainability, and Ethical Sourcing for the EMEA region.

Revenue is generated through transaction-fee based retail sales across in-store beverages, food, merchandise, and whole bean coffee, plus digital transactions through the mobile app and stored-value card reloads. Distribution runs through physical retail storefronts in Belgium as the primary channel, supplemented by the mobile app (self-serve digital channel) and Nestlé-led distribution of At Home products. Customer segments are horizontal: general consumers seeking a "third place" experience between work and home, and coffee enthusiasts pursuing premium, ethically sourced specialty coffee. Pricing is set at the individual store level and is not publicly disclosed on the Belgian website. Starbucks EMEA Limited, registered in England and Wales, acts as a joint data controller alongside Café Sirène for the website, app, and in-store data.

Name

Starbucks Belgium

Legal name

Café Sirène

Website

https://starbucks.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

1971

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Starbucks Belgium operates Starbucks retail coffeehouses in Belgium under Café Sirène, an Alsea SAB subsidiary licensed by Starbucks Corporation. It sells specialty coffee, food, and merchandise through physical stores and a mobile app with ordering, payments, and loyalty features.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Retail

NAICS

Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Specialty Coffee Shops (Single-Origin, Third-Wave) (THAFADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB), Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee retail
• Coffeehouse chain
• Whole bean coffee
• Mobile coffee ordering
• Coffee loyalty program

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. In-Store Coffee and Beverage Sales: Core revenue from specialty coffee beverages, teas, and related drinks sold at Starbucks retail locations in Belgium
2. Food and Merchandise Sales: Pastries, sandwiches, snacks, and Starbucks-branded merchandise available in-store
3. Whole Bean and At-Home Coffee Sales: Whole coffee beans and coffee products for home preparation, including Starbucks At Home products via Nespresso and Dolce Gusto capsules
4. Digital/Mobile Transactions: Revenue from mobile app orders, mobile payments, eGift purchases, and Starbucks Card reloads through the digital platform

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Starbucks Belgium operates specialty coffee retail stores across Belgium, selling premium coffee beverages, teas, pastries, sandwiches, and branded merchandise. The company also offers whole bean coffees across Blonde, Medium, and Dark roast profiles and supports home preparation through Starbucks At Home capsules distributed via Nestlé. A mobile application enables order-ahead, mobile payments, eGift purchasing, and access to the Starbucks Rewards loyalty program.

Product overview

Starbucks Belgium operates as a specialty coffee retailer offering a portfolio of whole bean coffees across three roast profiles (Blonde, Medium, and Dark) including named origins such as Colombia Nariño, Pike Place, Guatemala, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sumatra, and Caffe Verona. The company provides brewing methods and guidance (Coffee Press, Pour-over, Iced Pour-Over, Drip Coffee Brewer) for home coffee preparation. The Starbucks mobile application serves as a digital platform enabling mobile payment via Starbucks Card, order-ahead functionality (MOP), voice ordering, eGift gifting, and location-based services. The Starbucks Rewards loyalty program supports customer engagement. Responsibility initiatives include Partner Stories, Sustainability, and Ethical Sourcing content. The overall offering centers on the in-store and at-home coffee experience supported by digital services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Starbucks Rewards: Starbucks' loyalty programme that allows members to earn rewards on purchases and access personalised promotions.
• Starbucks Mobile App

Products and services

• Starbucks Blonde Roast

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alsea SABcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAlsea SAB is the parent company/group of Café Sirène which operates Starbucks activities in Belgium. Starbucks Coffee Netherlands BV is an enterprise of Alsea SAB and has obtained a license to operate in the Netherlands from Starbucks Corporation. Café Sirène is a company of the Alsea SAB group.
• Nestlé (Starbucks At Home)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNestlé distributes Starbucks At Home coffee products including Nespresso capsules and Dolce Gusto capsules. Customer service for these products is handled by Nestlé's dedicated customer service page at starbucksathome.com.
• Starbucks EMEA LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStarbucks EMEA Limited (registered at Building 7 Chiswick Park, 566 Chiswick High Road, London, England) is the data controller for Starbucks operations in EMEA, including Belgium. Joint data controllership with Café Sirène for information collected via website, app, and in-store.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Café Moustache: Belgian specialty coffee operator with multiple locations, focused on single-origin coffee and a strong third-wave café experience. Directly comparable to Starbucks Belgium as a Belgium-based specialty coffee competitor.
• Costa Coffee: Global coffee chain competitor operating across multiple European markets including the UK and Continental Europe. Directly comparable to Starbucks Belgium in product category, café format, and target customer (premium on-the-go coffee consumers).
• Caffè Nero: Specialty coffee chain with a strong European footprint focused on espresso-based beverages and a 'third place' positioning. Comparable to Starbucks Belgium in café experience, menu structure, and target demographic.

Broad incumbents

• McCafé: Coffee-focused concept operating within McDonald's restaurants globally. Competes with Starbucks Belgium for daily coffee occasions at typically lower price points, representing the mass-market tier of the same category.
• Illy: Premium Italian coffee brand with both retail packaged coffee and presence in foodservice. Comparable to Starbucks Belgium in premium positioning and specialty coffee credentials, primarily through wholesale and branded cafés.
• Lavazza: Italian coffee brand with both packaged products and a growing chain footprint across Europe. Comparable to Starbucks Belgium on coffee menu and Italian-style espresso heritage, though the business is brand-led rather than café-led at scale.
• Tim Hortons: Large international coffee and donut chain expanding across Western Europe. Overlaps with Starbucks Belgium in coffee-led QSR format and coffee menu, but is broader in food offerings.
• Segafredo Zanetti: Italian coffee brand with retail packaged products and an international chain of franchised espresso bars. Comparable to Starbucks Belgium in coffee menu and café format, anchored in Italian espresso tradition.

Regional players

• CoffeeCompany: Dutch specialty coffee chain operating in the Benelux region. Directly comparable to Starbucks Belgium in café format and target customer, with strong regional concentration rather than global scale.
• Pret a Manger: UK-based food-and-coffee chain with selected Continental European locations including Belgium. Overlaps with Starbucks Belgium in premium urban lunch-and-coffee occasions and digital/loyalty engagement.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/starbucks-belgium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Starbucks Belgium