Cotti Coffee has launched a franchise programme in the UK, Propel reported on 29 October, offering partners “no franchise fee” and global brand support, an entry point at the lower end of the coffee franchises in the UK. The Chinese coffee brand made its UK debut in February and has seven London sites. It is preparing to open its first regional shop, on New Street in Birmingham, later this year.
Cotti Coffee is China’s second-largest coffee brand and, according to Propel, now has more than 18,000 shops worldwide, which would make it the third-largest coffee brand across the globe. The UK arrival came in February with a double opening in London.
Propel says the business uses an entirely franchised model elsewhere, having launched in Europe this year with first outlets in Paris, Hamburg, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Barcelona and Madrid.
What the programme offers
The only terms published in the coverage reviewed are in the company’s own statement: no franchise fee, a proven business model and global brand support, with the company “looking for partners to grow with us across the UK”. Propel does not report the other costs a partner would carry, such as the fit-out, equipment or any ongoing royalty or supply charges, and no investment range is given.
The UK has no franchise statute and no disclosure document, so the terms a partner would be offered are set by the individual franchise agreement. Propel notes that the programme comes as the brand gears up to make its regional debut in Birmingham, so the recruitment call is aimed at partners across the UK rather than at a single city.
What no franchise fee does and does not say
The phrase refers to the fee paid to join the system. The company has not said, in the coverage reviewed, whether partners pay royalties, supply charges or a marketing contribution, or what a Cotti shop costs to fit out. Those figures are not public.
Seven London sites and Birmingham next
Propel lists the London sites as Liverpool Street, Middlesex Street, Camden High Street, Gresham Street, Cheapside, Holborn and Russell Square, the last of which is the most recent opening. L’Express Franchise reported on 24 September that Cotti is taking the former Moss Bros unit on New Street in Birmingham, and Propel now says that shop is set to open later this year.
It adds that the brand is believed to be in talks on sites in Manchester, which the company has not confirmed. Propel does not say how many UK shops the company is targeting, and the London sites were opened over the eight months since the February debut, from the first double opening to the Russell Square shop.
| Site | City | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Liverpool Street | London | Open |
| Middlesex Street | London | Open |
| Camden High Street | London | Open |
| Gresham Street | London | Open |
| Cheapside | London | Open |
| Holborn | London | Open |
| Russell Square | London | Open (most recent opening) |
| New Street (former Moss Bros unit) | Birmingham | Set to open later this year |
| Not named | Manchester | Talks reported, not confirmed by the company |
What is not yet known
Cotti has not said whether the seven London sites are company-run or franchised, and the coverage reviewed does not say whether the Birmingham shop will be run by the company or a partner. Propel’s account of the European launch names Paris, Hamburg, Cologne, Düsseldorf, Barcelona and Madrid, but gives no UK equivalent of a partner count. It has not given a target number of UK shops or a timeline for signing partners.
The franchise announcement is reported by one trade title quoting the company, so the detail beyond the statement is not independently confirmed, and the company’s own page was not reviewed for this report.
