Starbucks has opened 28,000 stores worldwide in its 47-year history, becoming a ubiquitous brand in the US and many other markets. But it wasn’t until this year that the chain braved one of the most coffee-conscious countries in Europe: Italy. The company debuted its first Italian location in Milan in September, a high-end Starbucks Reserve Roastery. It opened two more locationsthis week—one in Corso Garibaldi and another in Via Durini—and aims to break ground on 15 more each year.

That’s ambitious. While the Seattle-based chain has achieved near-ubiquity in other European countries, Italy’s intense coffee culture is a tougher barrier to break. Starbucks has committed to treading lightly, as described by Howard Schultz, the company’s former executive chairman, at a food conference in May.