Chinese private equity firm Boyu Capital has emerged as the leading contender to acquire a controlling stake in Starbucks’ China business, a deal that could value the unit at over $4 billion, according to Bloomberg News. The move underscores growing investor interest in China’s lucrative but increasingly competitive coffee market.
Sources told Reuters that Boyu Capital remains in the bidding process after Carlyle Group exited. Senior partners from both firms reportedly traveled to the United States for final negotiations with the Seattle-based coffee chain. Starbucks is expected to retain a significant minority stake after the sale, according to insiders familiar with the matter.
In a statement to Reuters, Starbucks confirmed strong interest from “multiple, high-quality partners” who share confidence in the company’s long-term growth prospects in China. The company is reportedly evaluating bids from five firms, including HongShan Group, FountainVest Partners, and Primavera Capital Group, with valuations hovering around 10 times core earnings.
While Boyu Capital declined to comment, Carlyle also refrained from public statements. Primavera Capital declined to comment, and HongShan and FountainVest did not immediately respond to inquiries.
Earlier this month, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol told CNBC that the expected valuation of the China business could exceed $10 billion, factoring in upfront investments, Starbucks’ retained stake, and future royalty payments. Bloomberg also noted that internet companies might participate as limited partners to co-finance the deal.
The potential divestment comes as Starbucks faces intense competition from Chinese coffee chains offering lower-priced beverages amid an economic slowdown. To maintain its edge, Starbucks has introduced localized menu itemsand price adjustments to appeal to cost-conscious consumers.
Despite challenges, Starbucks’ China comparable-store sales rose 2% in the quarter ending June 29, signaling modest recovery ahead of its fourth-quarter and fiscal 2025 earnings report on October 29.


Samsung Workers Approve Wage Deal, Avoiding Major Strike and Boosting Chip Supply Confidence
SK Hynix Joins $1 Trillion Club as AI Chip Demand Fuels Stock Surge
Mega IPOs Like SpaceX and OpenAI Could Reshape S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 Portfolios in 2026
Xiaomi Shares Drop After Weak Q1 Earnings Amid Rising Smartphone Costs
European EV Sales Surge in April 2026 as Tesla and Chinese Automakers Gain Ground
Universal Music Group Rejects Pershing Square Takeover Proposal
Salesforce Q1 FY2027 Earnings Beat Expectations Despite Soft Q2 Revenue Outlook
Marvell Stock Rises After Record Q1 FY2027 Earnings Fueled by AI Demand
MongoDB Q1 FY2027 Earnings Beat Expectations, Raises Full-Year Outlook
Elon Musk Explores Possible Tesla-SpaceX Merger Amid Growing AI Investments
Samsung to Invest $1.5 Billion in Vietnam Semiconductor Testing Plant by 2027
Costco Q3 Fiscal 2026 Earnings Beat Expectations as Sales and E-Commerce Surge
SQM Q1 Profit More Than Doubles as Lithium Prices Surge
Snowflake Stock Soars 30% After Q1 Earnings Beat and Major AWS AI Partnership
HP Q2 2026 Earnings Beat Expectations Despite Memory Chip Pressure
SpaceX IPO Could Become Largest in History with $1.8 Trillion Valuation Target
Autodesk Beats Q1 Estimates, Acquires MaintainX for $3.6 Billion 



