Starbucks creates 24 jobs in Belfast

The gourmet coffee chain Starbucks today opened its first Belfast store, creating 24 jobs.

The store in Castle Place in Belfast city centre is the second one to open in Northern Ireland.

The first Starbucks opened at the Junction One shopping complex in Antrim in May, offering an array of hot and cold drinks made with coffee blends from Latin America, Africa and Indonesia as well as sandwiches, paninis, muffins and pastries.

Fair Trade-certified coffee and chocolate bars are also sold by the chain.

UK Managing Director Cliff Burrows welcomed the first Belfast store.

“This is an exciting, dynamic city with a vibrant café culture and we’re looking forward to becoming part of the community here,” he said.

“This is our second store in Northern Ireland, as we successfully opened our first store in the Junction One development in Antrim on May 31.

“The opening of this store in Belfast reaffirms our commitment to Northern Ireland, which we believe is an exciting market and one that presents great opportunities for us.”

Guests at the opening of the new store were treated to a lesson on how to properly taste coffee.