American premium coffee chain with over 140 outlets worldwide makes Thailand debut
Blue Bottle Coffee has entered Thailand’s specialty coffee market with two Bangkok cafés opening three days apart, combining its global craft-focused format with products developed for Thai consumers.
American coffee chain Blue Bottle, known for its premium coffee shops, made its debut in Thailand this week. The first location opened in Central Park, followed by a larger flagship store at EmQuartier, both in Bangkok's bustling Silom-Rama IV and Sukhumvit areas. This marks Blue Bottle's seventh country presence, joining the U.S., Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, China, and Singapore.
Thailand's specialty coffee market, valued at approximately $917 million, is projected to grow by 10-15% annually, according to the Specialty Coffee Association of Thailand. Blue Bottle's Thai stores, such as the one in Central Park, feature a full-format, five-head Kyoto Style Espresso Tap Bar, a rarity in Southeast Asia. The EmQuartier location operates as Blue Bottle's first full-experience flagship in the country, offering over 200 square meters of space and 80 seats, complete with pour-over coffee, hot and cold beverages, merchandise, and exclusive products.
Founded by former musician James Freeman in 2002, Blue Bottle initially sold beans from a cart at the Old Oakland Farmers Market. The company's identity is built around fresh coffee, bean selection, roasting dates, brewing methods, and extraction. Pour-over coffee plays a central role in this model. Today, Blue Bottle operates over 140 outlets worldwide, with its international expansion recently marked by a change of ownership.
Nestlé acquired a 68% stake in the company in 2017 and is set to sell it to Centurium Capital, a Chinese private-equity firm, for less than $400 million.
Written by urgent.news from VnExpress Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
