Starbucks leaves Russia forever.
The coffee company ceased operations and stopped deliveries of its products to Russia in March. It has now “made the decision to go out and no longer has a presence on the market,” Starbucks said in a brief statement Monday.
The country’s 2,000 employees will receive salaries for another six months. Starbucks will also help them look for new jobs outside the company.
Starbucks first opened in Russia in 2007. As of March, it had 130 Russian locations, all owned and operated by a partner.
This move follows a similar one to McDonald’s.
Last week, the burgers chain said it was selling its business in Russia after working in the region for more than 30 years. McDonald’s said that the “humanitarian crisis caused by the war in Ukraine” and the accelerating unpredictable operating environment have led McDonald’s to conclude that continued ownership of business in Russia is no longer reliable or in line with McDonald’s values.
McDonald’s later announced that it had reached an agreement to sell the business to an existing licensee who would open restaurants with a new brand.
Starbucks and McDonald’s decided to close at the same time in March.
At the time, then-Starbucks CEO Kevin Johnson said, “We condemn the horrific attacks on Ukraine by Russia and our hearts are on everyone affected.”
CNN’s Jordan Valinski contributed to this report
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