In a partnership with Alshaya Group, Milanese baker Rocco Princi will debut his café and bakery in the Middle East, with a property in Kuwait.

Rocco Princi founded his café and bakery in Milan in 1986. In 2016, Starbucks chose Princi as the exclusive global food partner for its Starbucks Roasteries where his artisanal baked goods are served alongside freshly roasted single-origin Starbucks Reserve coffees. Starbucks has also helped Rocco craft a signature espresso blend only available in Princi stores worldwide.

The opening of Princi in the Grand Avenue – The Avenues later this month represents the brand’s 19th store opening in three continents.

Founder Rocco said: ‘With Alshaya’s long-standing expertise of franchising international brands, I can think of no better partner to exclusively launch Princi in the Middle East with. I am excited to bring the ‘Spirito di Milano’ to Kuwait and look forward to customers enjoying our vibrant all-day menu.’

Princi promises an authentic array of Italian dishes including Italian pastries, artisan breads, house-made granola and seasonal fruit salads, as well as pizza, pasta, filled focaccias and salads, among many other items.

‘Rocco and his team at Princi possess a passion for handcrafted food and artisanal baked goods that customers in the region will truly enjoy. We look forward to adding Princi’s true Milanese spirit to our portfolio of world-leading food brands.’, said Matthew Holgate, President of Food, Alshaya Group.