São Paulo – Brazilian coffee shop chain The Coffee is preparing to open its first units in Arab countries in 2024. In the first half of the year, the company expects to open two points of sale in Dubai, one in Saudi Arabia and another in Egypt. Reaching Arab countries is the continuation of an international expansion plan for the company, founded in 2018 in Curitiba, in the Brazilian Southern state of Paraná. It plans to increase its revenue to USD 350 million by 2028, with 1,500 units abroad and 350 in Brazil (pictured above, a coffee shop in Rio de Janeiro).
According to the CEO and co-founder of The Coffee, Carlos Fertonani, the UAE is a “strategic” region due to the consumption volume, possibilities for expansion, and “growing coffee production.” “We will open two stores in the first half of 2024 in Dubai.”
According to Fertonani, the goal is to expand operations in the region, with openings planned in Saudi Arabia and Egypt. In these countries, in addition to Colombia, Puerto Rico, Peru, Mexico, and Chile, expansion occurs in partnership with “master franchisees,” who are local business partners. In some of these mentioned countries, the shops are yet to be opened.
The Coffee was created by brothers Carlos, Alexandre, and Luis Fertonani. After traveling to Japan, they decided to bring to the capital of Paraná that country’s model of coffee shops – small spaces where customers order to go and pay on a tablet and take their drink on the way to work, home, or school. The Coffee has units of different sizes, from those with only a counter for orders to stores where customers can sit down to enjoy the beverages.
“When we were in Japan, we were fascinated by how minimalism is present in different aspects of everyday life, from consumers’ lifestyles to design and aesthetic items. We believed a business model based on this premise and linked to high-quality technology with unique design would bring an innovative project to Brazilians,” Fertonani told ANBA.
After expanding and opening stores in other Brazilian cities, the time came to take The Coffee abroad. In 2021, the group arrived in Madrid, Spain, where today there are five points of sale of the chain, in addition to four in France, seven in Portugal, one in Peru, and another in Colombia. By the end of this year, 12 more shops will be opened. In the first half of 2024, 35 coffee shops will be opened outside Brazil, totaling nearly 200 operational units.
The company also expanded financially. The Coffee has already received investments from companies and venture capital funds (that invest in up-and-coming private companies that are not publicly traded and have significant growth potential.)
“The arrival of investors was a consequence of the brand’s growth. We were always open to proposals and were approached spontaneously. With this, we gained great partners, such as Monashees, our most significant investor. We also received contributions from CapSur, Shift Capital, Scale Up, Order, and North,” said Fertonani about the companies already investing in The Coffee.
Translated by Elúsio Brasileiro
