Starbucks opens first Greener Store Lab in Shanghai

The store lab boasts many 'firsts' in terms of design, operations and customer experience. For instance, the store lab is the first on the Chinese mainland to use recycled and lower-impact building materials.

It also allows recycling of coffee grounds for use as fertilizer, and is fully powered by renewable energy purchased through a nationally certified platform.

Over half of the offerings on the store menu, which features 15 new food items, will be plant-based. The store has also introduced a grand-sized reusable cup which customers can purchase together with other food and beverages.

Other highlights of the store include a modular bar and back-of-house system that can be easily dismantled and reassembled.