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Tag: Blue Bottle Coffee

  • Blue Bottle Coffee Enters Thailand with Two Bangkok Cafes

    Blue Bottle Coffee Enters Thailand with Two Bangkok Cafes

    Blue Bottle Coffee will enter Thailand with two Bangkok locations developed alongside regional retail operator Valiram. The rollout at Dusit Central Park and the EmQuartier shopping mall follows the brand’s acquisition from Nestle by Chinese private equity firm Centurium Capital for less than $400 million earlier in 2026.

    Valiram is managing the Thai rollout after steering Blue Bottle Coffee’s entry into Singapore in 2024. The two companies are dividing the Bangkok launch across two distinct retail formats.

    Two Formats for Bangkok

    The Dusit Central Park cafe will operate as an open-format unit geared toward everyday foot traffic and core espresso drinks. The second site, at EmQuartier in the Sukhumvit commercial district, will serve as the brand’s flagship cafe in Thailand.

    That flagship will feature hand-brewed pour-overs, single-origin coffees and rotating seasonal menus. Both stores put the California-founded brand into direct competition with established specialty operators and international chains in Bangkok’s crowded cafe scene.

    Valiram Partnership and Centurium Ownership

    Blue Bottle Coffee already runs stores across Japan, South Korea, mainland China, Hong Kong and Singapore. Adding Bangkok extends its push into Southeast Asia under Centurium Capital, the private equity group that built Luckin Coffee into China’s largest coffee chain by store count.

    Valiram provides local operational muscle, bringing real estate relationships across luxury malls and transit hubs in the region. The group continues to handle store buildouts and staffing as the chain prepares to open doors at Dusit Central Park first before launching the EmQuartier flagship.

  • Nespresso creates special blend with Blue Bottle Coffee

    Nespresso creates special blend with Blue Bottle Coffee

    Nespresso has collaborated with Blue Bottle Coffee in the US to develop Blend No. 1, the first limited-edition capsule combining the specialties of both brands.

    Blend No. 1 is a blend of organically processed coffee from two distinct origins, Ethiopia and Uganda, and is notably light and short-roasted in two splits, separated by origin.

    According to the brands, although Ugandan beans are given more time to develop intensity, Ethiopian beans are roasted lighter to maintain the finer aromatics. This is a delicate combination with aromas of jammy, ripe fruit, sweet caramel, gentle white florals, and a hint of cereal.

    “Symbolic of these two coffee worlds coming together, even more coffee drinkers can now enjoy the quality and exquisite taste of this exceptional creation,” said Alexis Rodriguez, head of coffee development at Nespresso.

    Blend No. 1 is available for Nespresso Vertuo machines and will be available for purchase on October 18 online and at Nespresso locations across the US.

    Nespresso introduced its seasonal limited-edition Pumpkin Spice Cake taste for both Original and Vertuo machines earlier this year.

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  • Blue Bottle Coffee opens kiosk popup in Hong Kong

    Blue Bottle Coffee opens kiosk popup in Hong Kong

    Coffee brand Blue Bottle Coffee has launched a new pop-up café at Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) to connect travellers with unique coffee-to-go experience amidst their travels.

    This comes as the brand saw Hong Kong International Airport as a bustling hub for travellers from around the world. By setting up the kiosk at the airport, Blue Bottle aims to cater to a diverse audience of coffee enthusiasts and provide them with a moment of respite and enjoyment amidst their travels.

    Another reason behind the move was Blue Bottle’s ambition to expand its reach in Hong Kong and offer its meticulous craft and care in each cup to travellers passing through the airport. Starting from 5 September 2023, the Blue Bottle  Coffee Kiosk offers travellers enhanced coffee experience ahead of their flights through this coffee-to-go experience from the morning to midnight hours.

    Done in collaboration with local PR agency Dynamic Duo PR (DDPR), the setup of the pop-up kiosk comes along with the brand’s mission of “meeting coffee lovers everywhere so they can experience the best of what coffee has to offer at their convenience”. The pop-up kiosk is promoted via Blue Bottle’s Instagram.

    Fiona Yu, director, global kiosk formats, Blue Bottle, said: “With the opening of our new pop-up kiosk at Hong Kong International Airport, it’s a privilege for us to bring our deep passion for delicious coffee to travellers. At Blue Bottle, our dedication has always revolved around making specialty coffee more accessible, and we’re excited to reaffirm this commitment to connecting people with exceptional coffee experiences with this new location.”

    Founded by James Freeman in Oakland, California, in 2002, Blue Bottle has expanded its footprints across the U.S., Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong over the past 15 years. ⁠Most recently, Blue Bottle Coffee Hong Kong partnered with drinkware brand MiiR to unveil new straw lids to contribute towards sustainability and elevate consumers’ drinking experience. According to Blue Bottle, the flexible silicone straw adjusts to different cup models, while the vacuum-sealed lid ensures spill-free portability. ⁠

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  • Blue Bottle Coffee makes debut in South Korea

    Blue Bottle Coffee makes debut in South Korea

    Blue Bottle Coffee Co an upscale US coffee chain operator, says it will open its first South Korean shop in Seoul in the second quarter of next year as the company moves to expand its presence in the Asian market. It said the new cafe and a roastery will open in Seoul’s eastern Seongsu neighbourhood, a trendy hangout spot where young artists and designers have renovated existing buildings into art spaces, fine restaurants and cafes.

    The move will mark Blue Bottle’s second international launch since it opened its shop in Tokyo in 2015. Blue Bottle said it will directly enter the South Korean market as Blue Bottle Coffee Korea Ltd.

    “We feel very close to our South Korean guests, having known them for years in our cafes in the US and Japan and on social media,” said Bryan Meehan, CEO of Blue Bottle Coffee. “Now, Blue Bottle Coffee will no longer be just a tourist destination for them but a part of the fabric of Seoul.”

    Founded in 2002, the Oakland-based roaster now has 56 cafes in the US and 10 in Japan. Swiss food giant Nestle bought a 68 per cent stake in the company last year.

    According to government data, the size of South Korea’s coffee market stood at 11.7 trillion won (US$10.8 billion) in 2017, up more than threefold from a decade earlier.

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  • Blue Bottle Coffee heading for Korea

    Blue Bottle Coffee heading for Korea

    US brand Blue Bottle Coffee is expected to open in South Korea soon, followed by other Asian countries including China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.

    “We’re developing our contact here,” CEO Bryan Meehan said while attending the World Coffee Leaders Forum at the Seoul Cafe Show.

    He said Blue Bottle was researching the market and looking for a GM in Korea, with no specific set yet for a launch.

    Meehan said the company headquarters would directly manage its stores in Korea, as it does in other countries.

    “Actually, we had a lot of pressure for a joint venture in Japan. A lot of companies wanted licensed approaches,” he said. “We are very passionate about controlling the quality of Blue Bottle, so we like to do things ourselves. We have never franchised.”

    While local coffee chains in Korea have been hit by losses over the past few years, Starbucks Coffee has alone seen rapid growth, reports The Korea Times.

    “Blue Bottle has grown along with Starbucks in the US. We think we can survive side-by-side,” said Meehan.

    Known for its innovation, Blue Bottle has 44 stores in the US and Japan. Nestle acquired the chain for US$425 million in September.

    “Nestle CEO Mark Schneider has a wonderful vision of where specialty coffee should be in five years’ time, and he sees the value of Blue Bottle,” said Meehan. “Nestle is allowing Blue Bottle to remain a standalone company. I don’t report to anybody at Nestle.”

    Founded in Oakland, California, by musician James Freeman in 2002, Blue Bottle has expanded around San Francisco. Because of Freeman’s interest in Japan, the chain has expanded there and will open its eighth outlet next year in Kyoto.

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