Chilean franchisee Grupo Falabella has exited its partnership with Juan Valdez as part of a new deal with energy conglomerate Copec
.jpg.aspx?lang=en-GB)
A Juan Valdez store at the Alto Las Condes shopping centre in Chile | Photo credit: Grupo Falabella
Energy conglomerate Empresas Copec has reached an agreement to acquire a controlling stake in Juan Valdez’s Chilean franchise from Grupo Falabella.
Copec will acquire Grupo Falabella’s 65% stake in the 31-store franchise business, as well as an additional 5% from the Colombian coffee chain’s parent company, Procafecol.
In a press release, Copec said the deal is part of a wider strategy to strengthen its brand portfolio through fast-casual segment investments. In May 2024, the business group fully acquired Chilean fast-food restaurant chain Streat Burger before bringing US pizza chain Sbarro to the South American country in October 2024 as part of a licensing deal with MidOcean SBR Holdings, LLC.
“Juan Valdez is a beloved and respected premium brand that complements Copec’s offering, allowing us to support our consumers in their on-the-go lifestyles with excellent products and superior service experience,” a Copec spokesperson said.
Created by Colombia’s National Federation of Coffee Growers, the first Juan Valdez coffee shop opened at El Dorado International Airport in Bogotá in December 2002. The coffee chain, which takes its namesake from a fictional character designed to represent the archetypal Colombian coffee farmer, launched in Chile in 2007 in partnership with Grupo Falabella. The majority of its stores are in the Santiago Metropolitan Region.
Juan Valdez currently operates over 370 stores in Colombia alongside a further 260 across 18 international markets. Its Latin American presence also includes outlets in Argentina, Aruba, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Curaçao, El Salvador, Panama, Paraguay and Peru.