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#495: Starbucks Rewards Shares MENA Success (Starbucks is Our Listeners FAVORITE Loyalty Program)

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By: Wise Marketer Staff |

Posted on February 8, 2024

Today’s episode is available as a podcast as "⁠Let's Talk Loyalty⁠" as well as in video form on ⁠www.Loyalty.TV⁠.

Starbucks⁠ is one of the world’s greatest brands and also our audience’s favorite loyalty program!

As a truly global brand, Starbucks operates in 84 markets, and today we’re here to hear about the incredibly successful launch of the ⁠Starbucks Rewards⁠ programme in the Middle East and North Africa, where there are over 1,900 stores in eleven countries.

In this region, Starbucks has partnered with one of the leading family-owned operators of international franchising brands, the ⁠Al Shaya Group⁠, which has operated for over 20 years.

Paula is joined by ⁠Elisabetta Aiello⁠, the Vice President of Marketing and Digital for Starbucks in the MENA and Turkey.

Starbucks Rewards launched in the UAE in February 2022, followed by other key regional markets soon afterwards, and to date, they have registered more than 3 million members.

I hope you enjoy my in-studio conversation all about Starbucks as a world-class brand focused on building customer loyalty in the Middle East and North Africa region.


Paula Thomas

CEO & Founder

Let's Talk Loyalty

Let’s Talk Loyalty” is a powerful podcast created for loyalty marketing professionals worldwide.  

As the first independent podcast in the loyalty marketing industry, Paula Thomas created this show for loyalty industry professionals who create marketing programmes that drive customer loyalty.  

With the industry spending billions of dollars on customer loyalty, the show brings the global loyalty community together to continually learn from each other.  

“Let’s Talk Loyalty” consists of interviews with loyalty leaders around the world, and it is designed to educate and inspire busy loyalty professionals.  

Paula holds an MBA, she is a Certified Loyalty Marketing Professional (CLMP) and she is also a former Judge for the International Loyalty Awards.

Her nickname is the “Oprah of Loyalty”.