The Patras-based coffee chain is the latest international specialty operator to launch in Hong Kong and is planning further international expansion before the end of the year
-(2).jpg.aspx?lang=en-GB&width=700&height=393)
Coffee Island at the K11 Art Mall shopping centre | Photo credit: Coffee Island
Greece’s largest coffee chain Coffee Island has entered East Asia with a store at the K11 Art Mall shopping centre in Hong Kong.
To mark its launch, Coffee Island hosted a special event at the K11 Art Mall where its Managing Director Panagiotis Konstantinopoulos, an authorised SCA Trainer and Q Arabica Grader, showcased the coffee chain’s specialty coffee range.
A spokesperson for Coffee Island told World Coffee Portal that Hong Kong represents ‘a significant milestone’ in its 2024 growth strategy, which includes forming ‘strategic partnerships’ to enter new countries and scaling its store footprint in its current markets.
Founded in Patras in 1999, Coffee Island operates 458 outlets in Greece and a further 53 in international markets that generate €34.7m ($38m) revenues annually.
The Hong Kongese branded coffee shop market is a blend of domestic and international chains, with a very strong specialty coffee segment. Hong Kong-based NOC Coffee Co., Nodi, Coco Espresso, Elephant Grounds Coffee and The Matcha Tokyo all scaled their footprints last year, while international brands % Arabica, Ralph’s Coffee and Blue Bottle Coffee have been serving Hong Kongese customers since 2017, 2018 and 2020 respectively.
World Coffee Portal’s Project Café East Asia 2024 report shows the total Hong Kongese branded coffee shop market exceeds 730 outlets, led by US coffee giant Starbucks with around 170 stores. The market is forecast to exceed 820 outlets by the end of 2028.
Coffee Island joins Starbucks, The Matcha Tokyo and The Alchemist Café at the K11 Art Mall, alongside bubble tea chains Heytea, DaYung’s and Naixue.