Romania’s 5 to go opens first flagship store

5 to go’s flagship store in Brasov, Romania | Photo credit: 5 to go

5 to go has opened its first flagship store in the popular tourist city of Brasov. The site features 100sq ft of retail space and a new coffee museum concept, which is designed to educate customers on the history and culture of coffee. 
 

5 to go is the largest coffee chain in Romania with approximately 500 outlets, 420 of which are smaller format sites featuring limited seating. The Bucharest-based coffee chain also operates nearly 80 coffee kiosks and ‘Coffee Corners’ within stores of its retail partners, including supermarket chain Carrefour and donut shop Donuterie. 

Half of 5 to go’s stores are in the capital city Bucharest. Alongside Brasov, where it currently operates 24 outlets, the coffee chain views Sibiu, Constanța, Cluj, Timișoara and Craiov as key markets to drive its regional growth. 

“We have planned this launch in detail and it is an important moment for 5 to go, which underlines our growing aspirations to expand into important areas of the country and target new markets with potential. Brașov is an important city for us, we like the energy of the residents and tourists eager for new things and the vibe of this place which will surely contribute to the increase of brand awareness. Our flagship store reflects the trends of market evolution, corresponds to the highest current standards and will become a landmark for anyone who crosses its threshold,” said Radu Savopol, co-founder of 5 to go. 

5 to go opened 64 new stores in the first half of 2023. In January 2023, the Bucharest-based coffee chain announced plans to open 150 stores this year and increase its share within the Romanian branded coffee shop market to 55%.   

Founded in 2015, 5 to go doubled its group level turnover in 2022 to reach €30m ($32m). The value-focused coffee chain’s first quarter consolidated turnover reached €11.5m ($12.6m) - 64% higher than the same period in 2022.