Coffee World looks to double Thai branches in three years
COFFEE WORLD aims to double its branches at home and increase its presence in China, Bangladesh and Laos within three years with Bt250 million in investment.
“We expect the number of our |coffeehouses to reach 200 in the Kingdom by 2020,” Darren White, managing director of GFA Corporation (Thailand), the operator and franchiser of Coffee World, said yesterday.
After opening five shops in the first quarter, the company will continue to spend Bt50 million for 15 new branches in the country in the remaining months. They will be two Coffee Worlds in Phuket and four in Malaysia.
The company operates 100 Coffee Worlds in Thailand, of which 65 per cent are company-owned and 35 per cent franchised.
In three years, the chain is expected to exceed 200 units.
For the international market, the coffee empire wants to double branches in some high-potential countries.
For example, Laos will get three outlets, up from one now, Bangladesh eight from four and China 10 from five.
In seeking more revenue, the company plans to introduce food trucks to provide catering services including snacks and beverages at particular areas such as schools and office buildings.
“Set to launch in September, this new service could also respond to corporate clients wanting to organise parties, personal functions and product launches,” White said.
The company aims to grow its sales by 10 per cent to Bt400 million this year.
“The company’s projected growth appears to be behind the growth of the coffee-restaurant business because of the intense competition from new rivals.
“The key strategy is building brands and customer experience,” he said.
The Bt10-billion coffee-restaurant business is expected to expand by |20-25 per cent per year.
