Starbucks to set up first India GCC in Chennai, plans to hire 800

Coffee giant Starbucks has announced plans to establish its first Global Capability Centre (GCC) in Chennai, India. This move is expected to generate 800 new jobs, marking the company's first GCC setup in the country. The new entity will operate independently from Starbucks' existing retail business joint venture in India with Tata Consumer Products.

According to Anand Varadarajan, Starbucks Coffee Chief Technology Officer, the availability of skilled talent and lower attrition rates in Chennai influenced the company's decision to establish the GCC in Tamil Nadu. India has emerged as a leading destination for GCCs, currently hosting over 2,100 units – a significant increase from 1,600 five years ago.

The sector now employs around 2.3 million professionals and has become a crucial growth driver for India's $300 billion technology industry. A study by Xpheno, a recruitment firm, revealed that GCCs hired 110,000 candidates in FY25, 10,000 more than traditional IT services companies, and 180,000 candidates in FY26, 60,000 more than the IT services sector.

GCCs are increasingly becoming key centers of innovation, with many now developing new solutions alongside managing their operations in India. The trend of GCC establishment in India has expanded beyond US-based multinationals to include companies from Europe, Japan, and even mid-tier firms and startups from developed countries like the United States.