Greece’s largest coffee chain is planning to open 20 outlets across the South Asian market by March 2026 and 250 by 2029 as it seeks to tap into rising consumer demand for premium coffee and hospitality experiences
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Coffee Island CEO Konstantinos Konstantinopoulos (left) and Vita Nova CEO Pratyush Kumar (right)| Photo credit: Coffee Island
Greece’s Coffee Island has opened its first store in India in partnership with local franchisee start-up Vita Nova.
In a press release, Patras-based Coffee Island highlighted India as one of the world’s most dynamic coffee shop markets, with consumer demand for premium hospitality experiences rapidly rising.
Coffee Island’s menu will include single origin coffees and specialty beverages, such as Freddo Espresso Ristretto, Spanish Bombon and Vietnamese Shakerato. It will also stock a packaged retail range of cold brews, instant coffees and pour overs.
The coffee chain’s menu in India has been curated in partnership with Sunalini Menon, dubbed ‘Asia’s First Lady of Coffee’ after becoming the country’s first accredited Q Grader.
“We are excited to introduce the Coffee Island brand to India. The country’s vibrant coffee culture and increasing demand for premium experiences present a compelling opportunity for strategic growth,” said Konstantinos Konstantinopoulos, CEO, Coffee Island.
Coffee Island is seeking to open 20 outlets in India by March 2026, focusing on metropolitan cities such as Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad. The coffee chain has a longer-term goal of reaching 250 outlets in the country by 2029.
“While strategic expansion remains a priority, our core objective is to consistently deliver exceptional coffee quality at affordable prices nationwide. Our vision is to bridge the gap in the Indian café market and foster a European Coffee Culture amongst Indian coffee enthusiasts,” Konstantinopoulos added.
Founded in 1999, Coffee Island currently operates over 450 outlets in Greece and a further 50 across nine international markets, including Cyprus, the UK, Egypt and the UAE.
Its India debut comes a week after fellow Greek coffee chain Mikel Coffee awarded master franchise rights in the country to real estate consultancy firm Greko India, with the first store of the partnership expected within the next 12 months.
Vita Nova was established in July 2024 as a food and beverage franchise operator. Coffee Island’s is the group’s first partner. Vita Nova Founder Pratyush Kumar Sureka said the start-up is also exploring opportunities to launch Coffee Island in neighbouring South Asia markets, including Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and the Maldives.