Amid a continuing heatwave, Starbucks has begun supporting vulnerable groups by using a mobile coffee trailer. Starbucks Korea said on Thursday it has carried out community activities, including delivering iced drinks and cooling supplies.

Starbucks donated 50 million won to the Korea Council on Social Welfare, which will be used for projects supporting vulnerable groups during the hot season. On Wednesday, it visited the Hanam Disabled Welfare Center with its mobile coffee trailer, the "S:Beokcha", and delivered air coolers and cooling blankets. It also provided 250 iced drinks and 250 cookies to centre users and their families.

Throughout July, Starbucks made sequential visits to local community sites through the "S:Beokcha". On July 9, it visited sweet potato farms with the Haedeulnyeok Agricultural Cooperative Corporation in Gochang county, North Jeolla province, to provide coffee and support about 10,000 bags of eco-friendly compost made using coffee grounds. On July 14, ahead of the first of the three hottest days of summer, it delivered coffee, samgyetang and watermelon to elderly people at the Jungnim Comprehensive Social Welfare Center.

On July 22 and 23, it visited logistics centres at partner companies in Busan and Gyeonggi province and provided coffee to on-site workers. "We are continuing win-win activities to support a healthy summer for neighbours who are vulnerable to the heat," Starbucks Korea CEO Dong-woo Shin (신동우) said. "We will continue to visit various sites through the 'S:Beokcha' and be with local communities," he said.

The "S:Beokcha" is a mobile coffee trailer first unveiled on Earth Day in April this year, created through a planning and production process of about 6 months. Starbucks plans to expand operations as a customer-participation campaign in which it collects stories from places in need of support and the "S:Beokcha" visits selected sites in person. Details such as how to submit stories will be provided later on the Starbucks website.