Starbucks Buys La Boulange In $100M Deal

Starbucks has been pulling all kinds of crazy new expansion stunts lately like acquiring juice bars, caffienating Disneyland, and buying San Francisco cafe chain La Boulange for 100 million in cash. Today Bucks' newsroom announced plans to take over. The news comes just weeks after our local empire gained approval for its (controversial) 20th location headed to the Sunset.

The move is exactly what it looks like. Starbucks plans to turn La Boulange into a national chain with up to 400 units nationwide in the next several years. Simultaneously, they've hired owner Pascal Rigo to implement La Boulange branded products: croissants, cookies, etc. in Starbucks' gazillion American outposts, which makes sense considering the mega-chain has long seen food as its weakest link. Meanwhile, Rigo insists the existing La Boulange outposts won't change noticeably. No matter what, it's a sad day for the cake pop.

· Starbucks Announces Agreement to Acquire La Boulange® Bakery to Elevate Core Food Offerings and Build Premium, Artisanal Bakery Brand [Starbucks]
· Starbucks buys San Francisco's La Boulange bakery chain [The Merc]
· La Boulange sold to Starbucks for $100 million [ISSF]