Alexandra Miller, Founder, EL&N | Photo credit: EL&N

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Founded by Alexandra Miller in 2017, London-based EL&N (Eat, Live & Nourish) has become one of the world’s most recognisable boutique coffee brands. Renowned for its lavish pink interiors, floral backdrops and neon words of wisdom, the all-day dining, patisserie and specialty coffee group now operates 35 venues across Europe, the Middle East, Southeast Asia and in South Africa.

EL&N merges hospitality, fashion and lifestyle – what were some of your biggest influences when you were designing the brand?

Quite a few factors have played into the DNA of EL&N. A lot of the inspiration came from both high fashion and contemporary fashion brands as well as of course social media culture which has had a huge role to play in our continued digital success.

We also looked at luxury hotels and resorts and modern design trends to help dictate the style of interiors and which direction to take the brand in. We are more than a café – we are a lifestyle brand. So, with that in mind, we really do pull inspiration from all angles!

EL&N pioneered inviting guests to share your floral in-store decor on social media. How does it feel to see many brands taking a similar approach today?

It’s incredibly validating and inspiring. It is immensely satisfying to see that our innovative approach has set a trend in the industry – having a brand that resonates with others and has the power to inspire others is pretty commendable. It also means we constantly need to raise our standards and innovate to ensure we are market leaders in our field, so it’s good for keeping us on our toes!

The interior of EL&N’s Kuala Lumpur store in Malaysia | Photo credit: EL&N

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How has EL&N’s approach to social media marketing evolved since 2017?

Adapting to the ever-changing trends of digital and social media is a challenge I feel most brands can resonate with. We’re very fortunate that our guests and follower base on socials has been on the rise since our inception. It’s quite unique for a UK-led independent café chain to hit nearly one million followers on Instagram and it’s something we are extremely grateful for as it has paved the way for our international expansion.

We have an incredible team of in-house creatives and marketeers that stay on top of the game and ensure we are always adapting our content style – whether through user-generated content (UGC), interactive themed campaigns or tapping into our international audience to ensure all corners of the globe are covered across our socials.
 

“It is immensely satisfying to see that our innovative approach has set a trend in the industry”

As EL&N has expanded around the world, how much are you personally involved with each new store design?

We work alongside our architects to ensure the brand essence and core are reflected within each store design. The marketing team and I are involved from the first stage of design all the way through to store handover and execution to ensure our brand standards are met. It’s probably one of the most fun elements of the job.

Designing stores around the world is something that we will never take for granted! You will start to notice that as of this year, our brand direction with interiors has shifted and we are focusing more on creating warm and comfortable spaces that focus less on florals and more on inviting, approachable spaces. It’s all in the little details for us.

Tell us more about your strategy to further develop EL&N into a holistic lifestyle brand encompassing health and wellness, beauty and fashion.

We’re taking a more multifaceted strategic approach to brand development over the next three years. We have successfully solidified our status in the industry as a specialty coffee house with freshly baked cakes, but it’s really important for us now to build on our other core arms which are, of course, our all-day dining menu and integrating more healthy dining options for our guests. Looking at partnerships with health and wellness brands and introducing a few beauty pop-ups is definitely on the cards for us.
 

“We’re working away at bringing the EL&N brand to new territories from Malta and the Netherlands to India and Macao”

EL&N expanded to five new international markets in 2023. What are the brand’s growth plans for the next 12 months?

Without revealing too much, we’re working away at bringing the EL&N brand to new territories from Malta and the Netherlands to India and Macao. Building on our global presence is the core focus of the brand and we have some really exciting new launches coming this year and aim to double our store count within the next 12 months.

Thanks to our fantastic partners at Lagardère Travel Retail, we are working on numerous projects that will see EL&N open in more airports and train stations around the world over the next two years. Lagardère has been incredible at identifying new locations for us that suit our brand and complement the demographic and tenant mix in the existing spaces.

As more hospitality brands focus on convenience, what role will experiential venues play in the future of retail?

Brands seem to be shifting their focus more to storytelling and creating unique experiences. The trend of creating immersive environments for luxury fashion brands collaborating with the hospitality sector is on the rise; I'm looking forward to seeing more unexpected creative collaborations over the coming years as trends continue to develop and enhance. 
 

This article was first published in Issue 20 of 5THWAVE magazine.

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