Illicit businesses are the order of the day in Venezuela, But they do not always raise the commotion that the last controversial business inaugurated in the country has brought. According to an article published in El País, the opening of a name establishment Starbucks, but not tied to the Californian franchise It has transcended worldwide after going viral on the platform TikTok.
Starbucks has more than 30,000 stores in 78 countries from all over the world but It has denied that the coffee and pastry shop that bears its name and its logo is linked in any way to its brand and its products. This establishment is located inside a supermarket, and offers customers an offer similar to the official one, and at prices that are quite relative to what the company could mark if it were a real franchise.
After the controversy started by some customers who noticed the differences between this Starbucks and an official one, it was initially said that it was an undertaking part of the program We Proudly Serve (We Serve with Pride, in English) managed by the brand through Nestlé to market some of its products, But Nestlé Venezuela and Starbucks, from the United States, issued statements in which they disassociate themselves from the cafeteria in just two paragraphs and add that the program does not operate in Venezuela.
After this, media pressure made George Nieves, listed as CEO of Yeet! (the supermarket that houses the cafeteria) to comment on the evidence, and recognize that although they use the logo and their products, they are not an official Starbucks store, as the company does not operate with the franchise model. “With the opening of the cafe we just wanted the shopping experience in the store to be more enjoyable and fun”, has admitted in an interview to the Venezuelan media The National. Snow He also added that with this store, They sought to offer the customer a ‘more international’ shopping experience.
A country at war with globalization
Venezuela is experiencing a very long economic recession. After 20 years of the Chavista revolution, international blockades, diplomatic conflicts, riots and massive emigration, the country is nourished by a high percentage of illicit businesses that operate in their territory, sometimes in some cases, run by public bodies. The country Account as an example that, When Kellog’s left from Venezuela, the Government took over its facilities and continued to produce its cereals, despite the company’s warnings that it was an illicit use of its brand.
The consequences of the ‘illicit economy’
It has been calculated that the so-called black or illicit economy occupies about 20% of the Venezuelan GDP, a situation favored in part thanks to some of these growth and employment bubbles, of which the concessions given by Mature on expropriated assets and bankrupt public companies, in usually opaque transactions.
Despite the appearance of a large number of new supermarkets and shops in recent months, the indicators show an economic inequality that is difficult to overcome, and that shows that, for many of the Venezuelans, the arrival of these businesses is totally indifferent, since they cannot allow themselves to participate in the economic circuit given their low salaries and their socioeconomic situation.
On the other hand, Bolívar begins to live very critical moments, since the people who have allowed to receive part of their income in dollars, have been benefited by growth in the very short term, which does not make the national product competitive at all with respect to the Very few goods that arrive through tariffs and from abroad in general.
