U.S. coffee chain Starbucks Corp plans to hire 2,500 refugees in Europe as part of a wider worldwide hiring plan, Reuters reported.

World's largest coffee chain will roll out the initiative in eight European countries - the UK, France, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Portugal, Germany and the Netherlands - over the next five years and has already started recruitment.

The move is part of the Seattle-based company's plan, unveiled in January, to add 10,000 refugees in 75 countries to its workforce.