Greener Stores from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam were also shortlisted as finalists.

Starbucks announces the first certified Greener Store in India, located in Ayali Kalan in Punjab, as Greener Store of the Year in Asia Pacific.

The global Greener Stores of the Year program awards one store in each of the six regions to celebrate stores exceeding in innovation and environmental impact. In Asia Pacific, the Ayali Kalan store was identified from a shortlist of finalists including Greener Stores from Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore, and Vietnam markets.

The Ayali Kalan Greener Store features an electrical vehicle (EV) charging station, a rainwater harvesting system to support water conservation, and distributes its used coffee grounds to be used as fertilizer in surrounding developments.

In addition to using energy and water-efficient equipment, the building is constructed using local clay bricks, advanced insulation, abundant glazing for natural daylight, and large roof overhangs with a high solar reflectance index to minimize heat gain.

The store also has interactive displays raising awareness about climate change and inspiring others to embrace eco-friendly choices in their lives.

"I’m looking forward to engaging customers to let them know we are raising awareness about climate change, and the thoughtfulness we have put behind this store to reduce its environmental footprint. This award helps us celebrate and bring this awareness to our customers,” said Pankaj, store manager from Starbucks Ayali Kalan.

Starbucks Greener Store Framework was co-developed with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to accelerate the transformation of retail towards lower-impact stores that achieve reductions in carbon emissions, water usage, and landfill waste. Since announcing the international expansion of Greener Stores in September 2021, Starbucks implemented a global framework of design, construction, and operations standards for new Greener Stores being certified around the world.