The Alshaya Group, which operates Starbucks cafes in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA), announced workforce reductions Tuesday because of ongoing challenges, Paralel.Az reports citing Anadolu Agency.

"As a result of the continually challenging trading conditions over the last six months, we have taken the sad and very difficult decision to reduce the number of colleagues in our Starbucks MENA stores," a spokesperson told Anadolu.

The spokesperson emphasized Alshaya Group’s commitment to support departing employees and their families during the transition and expressed gratitude for their dedication to the Alshaya Group and the Starbucks brand.

For more than 25 years, Alshaya Group has held the Starbucks license for the MENA region, building a substantial presence with over 1,300 coffee shops and a workforce that exceeded 11,000 individuals.