A storm in a coffee cup as Beirut's bean-lovers boycott Starbucks


  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Follow the latest news on Israel-Gaza

The Starbucks branch in Beirut's northern suburb of Zalka has been a local landmark for more than a decade. But due to widespread anger over Israel's military assault on Gaza, many of its former customers are now sipping their coffee on the other side of the street.

Stories Coffee, which opened an outlet opposite the Zalka Starbucks in December, has been growing in popularity amid calls for a boycott of international companies perceived to be supporting Israel.

While the two coffee shops have many similarities, from their dark green and white logos to the cosy ambience inside, the key difference is that while Starbucks is a US chain, Stories Coffee is home-grown.

“I’m boycotting, and since there's an alternative across the street, I might as well go there. That way, I don’t feel guilty when I sip my coffee,” says Grace, a customer at the Stories Coffee outlet.

Lebanese firms gain ground amid Gaza-related boycotts of foreign brands
Lebanese firms gain ground amid Gaza-related boycotts of foreign brands

“The taste is just as good, so I can boycott without sacrificing quality or flavour,” adds Yasmina, 20, another customer, while enjoying an iced yoghurt – a speciality of the Lebanese chain.

“We should all be participating in boycotting; it's a matter of humanity,” another customer, Fidel, 22, chips in.

Since the Gaza war started, calls to boycott Israel-friendly brands have surged. Lists of western companies to boycott have been circulated on social media, often without a clear explanation of their connection to Israeli interests. Some brands appear to have been included solely because they are from the US – Israel's staunch ally which has been criticised for its support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government in the war.

Starbucks, which has 42 outlets in Lebanon, is not included in the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, a campaign advocating various forms of boycott against Israel since 2005.

However, the coffee chain sparked outrage when it sued its US union, Starbucks Workers United, for trademark infringement over a social media post in support of Palestine.

On its website, Starbucks denies any “political agenda” despite “false statements spread through social media”.

“We do not use our profits to fund any government or military operations anywhere – and never have,” the statement added.

Starbucks Mena, run by the Alshaya Group, which owns the Starbucks franchises in Lebanon, did not respond to The National’s request for comment.

However, this week, it announced it will lay off more than 2,000 workers after the business was affected by consumer boycotts linked to the Gaza war.

The decision to reduce the company’s regional Starbucks workforce by about 18 per cent followed “challenging trading conditions” over the past six months, a representative told The National.

No political stance

In the meantime, business at Stories Coffee is booming.

Launched in 2021 by Lebanese entrepreneur Tarek Nasser, the chain now employs 150 staff and welcomes thousands of clients a day at its nine branches. It has opened at least two outlets since the Gaza war began on October 7 and plans to open five more this year.

Elias Hanna, a representative for Stories, says the chain offers a unique concept and experience, serving freshly baked pastries and iced yogurts as well as coffee.

“Stories is a lifestyle destination: we are now beyond old coffee-shop concepts and we believe we are not in competition with them,” he says, taking care not to mention the chain's US competitor by name.

He says the company's growth is not a result of the Gaza-related boycott movement and that its expansion was already being planned before the war.

“The movement has positively impacted our sales but it has helped many other local brands similarly.” He also stresses that Stories does not have a “political stance”.

Appetite for Lebanese

Ahmad Chanouha, export sales manager for Lebanese drinks maker Cedars Premium, says the boycott has had a clear effect on his company's sales, particularly its alternatives to international brands of carbonated drinks.

“We've seen a consistent increase in sales, from 20 per cent to 30 per cent each month. The boycott is driving our sales, especially in Palestinian and Muslim areas. We've also expanded our points of sale by 40 per cent since October 7,” he says.

“We've been performing very well.”

Lebanese firms gain ground amid Gaza-related boycotts of foreign brands
Lebanese firms gain ground amid Gaza-related boycotts of foreign brands

Mr Chanouha says exports are increasing as well but not as much as domestic sales because of competition from Turkish companies with a greater market share.

Lebanon's economic crisis has affected the competitiveness of local businesses, he says.

“We pay $200 per day for electricity. We have many problems in production, no industrial support and high production costs.”

Like Stories, Cedars Premium is keen to emphasise its political neutrality.

“We've been asked to display labels for the boycott but we refrain from engaging in politics. We do not exploit the movement,” Mr Chanouha says.

While some brands may avoid explicitly supporting the boycott, for many of their customers it is enough that they are Lebanese.

“After October 7, we stopped purchasing from companies with ties to Israel and began favouring Lebanese brands in our kitchen and bar,” says Jad Hamdan, operations manager of Mezyan, a popular restaurant in the Hamra neighbourhood of Beirut.

Lebanese firms gain ground amid Gaza-related boycotts of foreign brands
Lebanese firms gain ground amid Gaza-related boycotts of foreign brands

“We did our own research on every company's background and stance on the war. Some American companies were not in favour of the war, so we continued with them. If we couldn't find an alternative to a pro-Israeli product, we stopped buying.

“This is our way to support Gaza and the south of Lebanon.”

More than 40 civilians have been killed in Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon since Lebanese group Hezbollah and Israel began exchanging almost daily fire across the border on October 8.

Mezyan has challenged Pepsi and Coca-Cola with Lebanese alternatives Jalloul and Zee Cola, Mr Hamdan says, “despite attempts by Pepsi managers to convince us otherwise”.

But the boycott hardly sounds like the death knell for western brands in Lebanon: across from Stories Coffee in Zalka, Starbucks was full.

Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Results
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%203%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Einer%20Rubio%20(COL)%20Movistar%20Team%20-%204h51%E2%80%9924%E2%80%9D%3Cbr%3E2.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%20-%2014%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Adam%20Yates%20(GBR)%20UAE%20Team%20Emirates%20-%2015%22%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EGeneral%20classifications%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%3Cbr%3E1.%20Remco%20Evenepoel%20(BEL)%20Soudal%20Quick-Step%3Cbr%3E2.%20Lucas%20Plapp%20(AUS)%20Ineos%20Grenaders)%20-%207%22%3Cbr%3E3.%20Pello%20Bilbao%20(ESP)%20Bahrain%20Victorious%20-%2011%22%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20JustClean%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20with%20offices%20in%20other%20GCC%20countries%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ELaunch%20year%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202016%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20160%2B%20with%2021%20nationalities%20in%20eight%20cities%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3E%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20online%20laundry%20and%20cleaning%20services%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2430m%20from%20Kuwait-based%20Faith%20Capital%20Holding%20and%20Gulf%20Investment%20Corporation%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Francesco Totti's bio

Born September 27, 1976

Position Attacking midifelder

Clubs played for (1) - Roma

Total seasons 24

First season 1992/93

Last season 2016/17

Appearances 786

Goals 307

Titles (5) - Serie A 1; Italian Cup 2; Italian Supercup 2

Pharaoh's curse

British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.

'Tell the Machine Goodnight' by Katie Williams 
Penguin Randomhouse

Specs

Engine: 51.5kW electric motor

Range: 400km

Power: 134bhp

Torque: 175Nm

Price: From Dh98,800

Available: Now

COMPANY%20PROFILE
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Floward%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ERiyadh%2C%20Saudi%20Arabia%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbdulaziz%20Al%20Loughani%20and%20Mohamed%20Al%20Arifi%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EE-commerce%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETotal%20funding%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAbout%20%24200%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAljazira%20Capital%2C%20Rainwater%20Partners%2C%20STV%20and%20Impact46%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E1%2C200%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
WandaVision

Starring: Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany

Directed by: Matt Shakman

Rating: Four stars

Global state-owned investor ranking by size

1.

United States

2.

China

3.

UAE

4.

Japan

5

Norway

6.

Canada

7.

Singapore

8.

Australia

9.

Saudi Arabia

10.

South Korea

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
 
Started: 2021
 
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
 
Based: Tunisia 
 
Sector: Water technology 
 
Number of staff: 22 
 
Investment raised: $4 million 

Richard Jewell

Director: Clint Eastwood

Stars: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Brandon Stanley

Two-and-a-half out of five stars 

 


 

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Updated: March 07, 2024, 10:15 AM`