After struggling through a challenging period due to a massive boycott campaign following the Israel-Palestine conflict, Starbucks Malaysia is now starting to enjoy a sales recovery, according to Berjaya Group Founder, Tan Sri Vincent Tan.
In his statement after the launch of the Brahmarpanam Soup Kitchen on Friday, he stressed that boycotting Starbucks Malaysia has no direct impact on Israel, but only affects the local economy, with 85% of its staff being Muslim workers.
The boycott campaign had forced Berjaya Food Bhd (BFood) to temporarily close more than 100 outlets, while three outlets were permanently closed in August 2023.
Starbucks, which previously contributed 90% of the group's revenue, recorded huge losses during that period.
Now, with consumer anger subsiding, the company is focusing efforts on restoring operations and attracting customers back to its busy stores.
However, can this scent of recovery last, or will the shadow of the boycott return to haunt every breath?
