Venezuela's First "Starbucks"! Are Fake Starbucks Coffee Shops This Audacious Now?

Recently, a "Starbucks Coffee" that opened in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, has gone viral on multiple social media platforms. The shop even experienced situations where customers had to wait an hour for a single cup of coffee. Local residents are well aware that this is a counterfeit "Starbucks," but because the Starbucks logo looks so premium, nobody seems to mind! Many visitors who came to take photos said: "No matter how poor we are, we must maintain our style!"

This coffee shop went all-in on imitation, borrowing Starbucks' service program motto "We Proudly Serve" as its name, indicating their commitment to providing quality beverages and service to every customer. The owner went to extreme lengths to make everything look like Starbucks - from store decor to personalized service, from coffee cups to pastry plates - all meticulously replicated to give customers the same illusion: "This is a real Starbucks!"

The counterfeit Starbucks' windows display the goddess logo and "We Proudly Serve" sign, while employees wear T-shirts and green aprons printed with the fake Starbucks logo. However, the beverage prices are much lower - less than half of authentic Starbucks prices.

The coffee shop owner claimed he opened this establishment because he noticed the shopping mall was looking for ways to improve the shopping experience. He came up with the idea of creating a counterfeit "Starbucks" to attract public attention. The mall agreed to his approach and allocated a large space on the second floor for the "We Proudly Serve" coffee shop.

The Psychology Behind Counterfeit Culture

Why choose to open a counterfeit "Starbucks" rather than a legitimate coffee shop? The answer lies in the vanity of Venezuelan consumers, which inspired the owner's idea. In this once oil-rich country, people had grown accustomed to a lifestyle of comfort and leisure. Although the local economy has been in severe decline since 2014, with people experiencing water and electricity shortages and chronic empty shelves, their sense of vanity has remained "thriving."

Caracas was once home to many middle-class residents. Even though many have gone bankrupt, they still maintain the "high-quality" lifestyle habits from their better days. This is why, despite knowing it's a counterfeit "Starbucks," they feel that taking photos there and posting on social media is incredibly stylish.

Official Responses

With such blatant brand infringement, Starbucks Corporation would certainly have been aware immediately. Starbucks officially clarified that this shop has no connection to them and that they have not opened any stores in Venezuela.

Some netizens speculated whether this might be Nestlé's doing... because Nestlé Coffee is the only coffee sales company in Venezuela, and Nestlé has a partnership with Starbucks, having jointly launched the "Starbucks At Home" product line and "We Proudly Serve Starbucks Coffee" for out-of-home consumption scenarios. The shop's name makes it hard not to associate it with Nestlé... In response, Nestlé also immediately came forward to clarify that they have nothing to do with this matter.

The Owner's Perspective

In an interview, the coffee shop owner said: "What's wrong with being counterfeit? As long as my customers and I are satisfied with the coffee, that's what matters! And even though Venezuela's economy is struggling now, it doesn't mean people don't want leisure and enjoyment!" He also stated that no matter what happens, he will continue to operate the coffee shop, providing customers with quality coffee beverages and service.

As for whether Starbucks will take action against this counterfeit establishment, there has been no further official information at this time.

Image source: Internet

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