Welcome Break and Starbucks Sign Deal For New Stores

Starbucks has announced plans to open 29 new coffee shops as part of a deal with motorway service station chain Welcome Break.

The US coffee company will be expanding into the sites across the next 16 months as part of a deal that will result in the existing Coffee Primo shops at Welcome Break sites rebranded as Starbucks outlets.

Chief executive of Welcome Break Rod McKie said that the marketing move should help boost sales at the service stations.

"We are pleased to be adding an additional leading world brand to offer the travelling public at our motorway service areas," he remarked, adding that the arrival of the coffee retailer will "complement" the recent expansion of Waitrose across the Welcome Break chain.

Welcome Break is the UK's second-largest motorway service station group, while Starbucks - which launched in the UK in 1998 - has more than 15,000 stores around the world