Starbucks Korea resumes barista program for seniors

Starbucks Korea will resume a program training senior citizens as baristas starting in August, aiming to train about 500 people by the end of the year in partnership with the Korea Association of Community Senior Club, the company said Tuesday.

Starbucks Korea also plans to open a second training center this year, which would double its annual training capacity to more than 1,000 senior baristas, up from its current facility in Gunpo, Gyeonggi Province.

The two centers on Monday signed an agreement on the new site.

The company has run the program with the Korea Association of Community Senior Club and the Ministry of Health and Welfare since 2019, producing a total of about 2,000 graduates and more than 3.1 billion won ($2.1 million) in cumulative support for training, facilities and ingredients.

Training covers both practical skills such as espresso extraction and latte art, as well as knowledge of coffee origins and service.

Starbucks Korea will also hold its fifth Senior Barista Latte Art Competition this year, with preliminary registration opening in late July and rounds running fro ...