In a move that will concern aficionados of the traditional French Café yet probably excite the coffee lovers, Starbucks is planning to expand its chain of coffee shops in France. The company sees the home of the pavement ‘coffee and a cigarette' as a prime target for further imposing its own style of caffeine culture.

Starbucks has been buoyed by its success in Paris. The Corporation claims that young Parisian professionals have overcome their initial Gallic reticence to become addicted to the chain's open style lounges, large leather sofas and Americanised staff. Now they see potential in other French cities. Starbuck's Managing Director of France, Philippe Sanchez, a man who clearly knows how to wind up the anti-globalisation lobby, is quoted by CNN as saying that although coffee habits are still evolving in the country, ‘Sixty percent of our customers are women; young professionals who relate in France to the same value as customers you find in Seattle, Tokyo, London or Germany.'

The Corporation will be taking full control of its French operations and plans to take advantage of ‘quality real estate opportunities' in France to open new outlets. Anyone who remembers Starbucks opening a coffee shop in Beijing's Forbidden City will wonder what this means. Lourdes Cathedral perhaps. A large latte ‘to go'.

Lucy's Famous Cupcakes As a chef running a busy catering company, Radish Events, I am constantly under pressure to create amazing menus and party food for anything from weddings to yacht soirées and special celebrations READ MORE