Starbucks will be closing hundreds of stores and laying off hundreds of employees in Canada and the United States, according to an announcement on Thursday.

In a message to employees, Starbucks CEO Brian Niccol shared two decisions the company has made in support of its “Back to Starbucks” plan.

After reviewing the coffee chain’s North America portfolio, Niccol said they identified stores that weren’t performing well financially.

“These locations will be closed,” he wrote . “Each year, we open and close coffeehouses for a variety of reasons, from financial performance to lease expirations. This is a more significant action that we understand will impact partners and customers.”

The CEO stated that the company will be closing about one per cent of Starbucks locations across Canada and

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