The American coffee chain, which aims to open 12,000 new outlets worldwide by 2021, is embarking on a whole new culinary adventure in 2017, branching out from coffee to pizza.

As well as serving ethically sourced coffee and a host of other hot and cold drinks and snacks, Starbucks -- which aims to increase its global sales outlets by 50 per cent -- is now planning to open a line of standalone Italian bakeries.

Starbucks aims to open its Italian bakery cafés from late 2017/early 2018, importing the Princi concept to New York, Seattle and Chicago. Princi was originally founded by an Italian baker, with stores in Milan, Italy, and one in London, U.K.

The Starbucks partnership with Rocco Princi will see the coffee giant sell lunchtime focaccias and evening pizzas in outlets opened under the Princi name.

The food offering could also come to new premium Starbucks outlets, with bread cooked in-store in customer-visible ovens. However, pizzas aren't expected to be added to the menu at Starbucks coffee shops, although the firm could develop a coffee drink to accompany them at Princi.