Espressolab

What Espressolab does

Espressolab is a Turkish specialty coffee chain founded in 2014 at Istanbul Bilgi University, operating more than 400 retail locations across 21 countries including Turkey, Germany, Egypt, Qatar, South Africa, the UAE, Portugal, Indonesia, and several Central Asian and African markets. The company sells single-origin and blended coffee beans (sourced via Direct Trade from Colombia, Costa Rica, Kenya, Honduras, Brazil, Guatemala, Tanzania, and others), Turkish coffee, ready-to-use filter coffee, teas, thermoses, and brewing accessories — both through its own stores and via the espressolab.com e-commerce platform and iOS/Android mobile app.

The operating backbone is a vertically integrated supply chain anchored by the 6,000 sqm Espressolab Roastery in Istanbul Merter (described as one of Europe's largest coffee experience centers), where proprietary roasting profiles are developed. Espressolab also operates a 50-dönüm dairy farm in Kırklareli Vize supplying natural milk in glass bottles, and runs the Future Generation Coffee sustainability initiative. Its Therma-Freeze Coffee technology — shock-freezing beans at -30°C in a purpose-built cellar — is currently exclusive to the Bağdat Caddesi store. Brand recognition is supported by two consecutive placements on The World's 100 Best Coffee Shops list (2025, 2026) and Hammers Awards 2024 wins for Best Mobile Marketing Team and Best Team in Animal Rights.

The business model combines company-owned and franchised retail (franchise investment tiers at ₺15-16M and ₺16M+), direct-to-consumer e-commerce (free shipping above ₺750), mobile-app ordering, and an event/workshop program at the Roastery (coffee workshops, theater, yoga, ceramics, live music) with ticketing through biletino.com. Customer segments include premium coffee consumers seeking traceability and specialty origin coffees, casual café visitors, B2B/wholesale buyers, and franchise investors. Leadership includes founder Esat Kocadag, CMO Ersin Kefeli, and Coffee Director Renato Correia. The company is privately held with no disclosed funding, ownership, or revenue figures.

Name

Espressolab

Legal name

Espressolab

Website

https://espressolab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Espressolab is a Turkish specialty coffee chain founded in 2014, operating 400+ franchised and company-owned stores across 21 countries and selling single-origin, Direct Trade coffee beans via retail, e-commerce, and a mobile app.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Specialty Coffee Retail

NAICS

Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (31192)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)

Keywords

• Specialty coffee retail
• Coffee shop chain
• Coffee roasting
• Coffee franchising
• Specialty beverages

Headquarters

HQ city

Güngören

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Supply Chain, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Retail Store Sales (Franchise): Revenue from company-owned and franchised retail coffee store locations selling coffee beverages, food (bakery items, sandwiches, gourmet pizzas, snacks), and non-food merchandise.
2. Online Store (E-commerce): Direct-to-consumer online sales of coffee beans, teas, thermoses, accessories, and snacks through espressolab.com with delivery across Turkey (free shipping on orders over 750 TL).
3. Franchise Fees: Revenue from recruiting and licensing franchisees. The franchise application form indicates investment requirements of ₺15-16M or ₺16M+, suggesting franchise fee and setup costs as a revenue stream.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Espressolab operates a specialty coffee chain of 400+ stores across 21 countries, selling coffee beverages, bakery/food items, and non-food merchandise in physical locations. The company sources coffee beans directly from producers across multiple origin countries, roasts them at its own 6,000 sqm Roastery in Istanbul using proprietary profiles, and retails single-origin and Turkish coffee, thermoses, teas, brewing accessories, and snacks through stores, an online store (espressolab.com), and a mobile app. It also runs coffee workshops and cultural events at the Roastery, and franchises its brand to investors.

Product overview

Espressolab is a Turkish specialty coffee chain offering a comprehensive coffee-focused product portfolio. The company's core offering is specialty coffee sourced through Direct Trade relationships from origin countries (Colombia, Costa Rica, Kenya, Honduras, El Salvador, Rwanda, Nicaragua, Guatemala, Panama, Brazil, Tanzania, and Guatemala). Products are organized into five main categories: Coffee (single-origin beans, Turkish coffee, ready-to-use filter coffee, and the World Coffees Trial Set), Thermoses (various sizes and styles including Frank Green branded products), Teas (including Moroccan Mint Tea, Green Tea, and specialty blends), Accessories (V60 sets, Chemex, French Press, reusable cups, ceramic mugs, espresso cups, and coffee-scented lifestyle products), and Snacks/Bakery (nuts, waffles, and items developed with renowned chefs). The company operates its flagship Espressolab Roastery in Istanbul Merter (6,000 sqm) as a coffee experience center, and has expanded to over 400 stores across 21 countries. Sustainability initiatives include Future Generation Coffee, Direct Trade sourcing, and natural milk from their own farm.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Kahve (Coffee Beans) Single-origin and blended specialty coffee beans sourced through Direct Trade from Colombia, Costa Rica, Kenya, Guatemala, Tanzania, Honduras, El Salvador, Rwanda, Nicaragua, Panama, and Brazil, available in whole bean and ground variants for espresso, French press, V60, Chemex, Aeropress, Moka Pot, and filter machines.
• Türk Kahvesi (Turkish Coffee) Traditional Turkish coffee made from Brasil Irmas Pereira Arabica beans grown at 1075–1200 m altitude, with tasting notes of caramel, walnut, praline, and lemon, sold in 200g and 1kg packaging in special tin containers.
• Pratik Filtre Kahve (Single-Serve Filter Coffee) Pre-portioned single-use filter coffee packets of 12g pre-ground coffee, ready for brewing with hot water; available in Colombia Antioquia La Claudina (Castillo Colombia, 1400–1800m altitude) and Kenya Nyeri Imara varieties.
• Dünya Kahveleri Deneme Seti (World Coffees Trial Set) A discovery set of five 50g single-origin coffees from Costa Rica Volcan Azul, Honduras Xiclete La Paz, El Salvador Black Honey Pacamara, Costa Rica La Lia, and Rwanda Rugali.
• Termoslar (Thermoses and Tumblers) Insulated mugs, long thermoses, bottle thermoses, handled thermoses, textured steel thermoses, and metal cup thermoses in 350ml to 600ml sizes with stainless steel interiors and varied exterior colors and finishes.
• Frank Green Thermoses Premium reusable thermoses and water bottles from the Frank Green brand, with button-lid and straw-lid designs in colors including mint green, purple, orange, butter yellow, neon orange, neon pink, and green, in 355ml, 425ml, and 1L sizes.
• Çaylar (Teas) Tea varieties including Moroccan Mint Tea, Green Tea, Rosehip, Hibiscus, Cold Play Tea, Linden, Eslab Tea, Winterfell Tea, Energy Blend Tea, and organic black tea.
• Aksesuar (Coffee Accessories) Coffee brewing accessories including V60 Ceramic Pour-Over Set, Hario V60 Filter Papers (100 count), Chemex, Chemex Filter Papers (100 count), French Press 350ml, reusable straws and cups, espresso cups, ceramic mugs, Istanbul silhouette enamel cups, coasters, phone cases, plus specialty lifestyle items such as coffee-scented room spray, coffee-scented liquid soap, and coffee candles.
• Atıştırmalıklar (Bakery Snacks) Bakery and snack items including mixed nuts, bitter chocolate handmade waffles, and caramel waffles, developed as part of the bakery concept stores' signature range by world-renowned pastry chefs.
• Espressolab Roastery Merter A 6,000 square meter coffee experience center in Istanbul Merter where Espressolab roasts coffee beans from origin countries using proprietary roasting profiles, and which also hosts concerts, sports, workshops, and concept events.
• Espressolab Coffee Store Network More than 400 Espressolab coffee store locations across Turkey, Egypt, Qatar, Germany, Jordan, Morocco, South Africa, UAE, Cyprus, Portugal, Iraq, Libya, Lebanon, Kosovo, Kuwait, Palestine, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Congo Republic, Bahrain, and Indonesia (Bali), serving coffee beverages, bakery items, sandwiches, gourmet pizzas, snacks, and non-food merchandise.
• Therma-Freeze Coffee Shock freezing of coffee beans at -30°C in a specially designed coffee cellar to preserve aroma, flavor intensity, and freshness, sold exclusively at the Espressolab Bağdat Caddesi store in Turkey.
• Espressolab Franchising Program Franchise offering allowing investors to open new Espressolab-branded coffee stores, backed by the company's brand, operational model, supply chain, and Direct Trade sourcing; investment range options ₺15-16M and ₺16M and above.
• Kahve Workshop (Coffee Workshop) Monthly hands-on educational workshop at Espressolab Roastery led by the Head Roaster and Head Baristas, covering specialty coffee brewing techniques, home coffee brewing tips, and roasting and brewing perspectives.
• Espressolab Çiftlikten Fincana Natural Milk Natural milk from cattle fed with completely natural feeds, produced at the company's own farm in Kırklareli Vize, and served in glass bottles at Espressolab stores for drinks and dairy-based menu items.

Quantifiable outcome

• Ranked among The World's 100 Best Coffee Shops 2026 — among more than 15,000 evaluated globally
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Beyoğlu Belediyesi (Beyoğlu Municipality)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Espressolab partnered with Beyoğlu Municipality to establish the Espressolab Sahipsiz Hayvan Bakımevi (Espressolab Stray Animal Shelter), renovating and expanding the existing shelter. Cat capacity increased from 30 to 170, dog facilities doubled to 40 with heated floors, and an intensive care unit was expanded with medical equipment. This partnership is tied to the company's 'Birlikte Sorumluyuz' (Responsible Together) sustainability and social responsibility initiative, earning the company the Hammers Awards 2024 'Best Team in Animal Rights' bronze medal.
• Direct Trade Coffee Producers (Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Kenya, Honduras, Brazil, and others)coreOthersEspressolab sources coffee beans directly from producers through its Direct Trade model, visiting farms in Colombia, Costa Rica, Panama, Kenya, Honduras, Brazil, and other coffee-growing regions. The company establishes long-term relationships with farmers, pays fair prices, and ensures sustainable agricultural practices. Each region's unique climate and geographic characteristics contribute to distinct coffee flavor profiles.
• Antonio Bachour, Bernardo Constantino, Defne Berk (World-renowned pastry chefs)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEspressolab collaborated with world-renowned pastry chefs Antonio Bachour, Bernardo Constantino, and Defne Berk to develop exclusive recipes for bakery concept stores, creating unique flavors compatible with coffee. These collaborations produced signature pastries and desserts available at Espressolab's bakery concept stores.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mikel Coffee: Another major Turkish-origin specialty coffee chain that has expanded internationally via franchising, with a similar cafe + roasted-bean + Direct Trade positioning. Closest peer in terms of heritage, target market, and expansion playbook.
• Gloria Jean's Coffees: Australia-origin specialty coffee chain built almost entirely on franchising and master-franchise agreements, with stores in 40+ countries. Highly analogous GTM (franchise-led international) and similar mid-market specialty positioning.
• The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: US-origin specialty coffee and tea chain with heavy franchise/licensed-store model across MENA, Asia, and other regions. Direct comparable on specialty coffee + tea menu, franchise GTM, and presence in many of the same markets as Espressolab.
• Caribou Coffee: US specialty coffee chain (now Asian-owned, expanding in MENA via franchising). Comparable franchise-led specialty coffee concept competing in similar mass-premium segment.
• Kahve Dünyası: Direct Turkish-headquartered specialty coffee chain with parallel franchise-led expansion across MENA and Europe. Operates roastery + cafe model and competes head-to-head with Espressolab in Turkey and in several of the same international markets.

Broad incumbents

• Tim Hortons: Canadian coffee-and-donut QSR with aggressive international franchise expansion (Middle East, UK, India). Comparable on franchise-led international scale, even though its daypart and product mix are broader than Espressolab's specialty-only positioning.
• Lavazza (Luigi Lavazza): Italian coffee manufacturer and chain operator combining roastery, packaged-goods, and cafe retail. Comparable vertically integrated bean-to-cup model with a stronger packaged-CPG and European cafe footprint than Espressolab.
• Starbucks: The global incumbent operating the largest coffee chain footprint worldwide, including a meaningful presence in Turkey and the same 21+ countries Espressolab targets. Competes for the same daily occasion and middle-premium consumer, but with substantially broader product breadth and balance-sheet capacity.
• Costa Coffee: UK-origin, Coca-Cola-owned specialty coffee chain with strong international franchise and licensed-store presence including across MENA and Europe. Directly comparable specialty-coffee franchise model with materially larger global footprint.
• Peet's Coffee: US-origin specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain (now JDE Peet's) with deep specialty-coffee expertise, direct-trade sourcing, and a mix of company-owned and franchised stores. Highly comparable on bean sourcing and third-wave coffee positioning.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/espressolabtr
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC0XGp1i_AZF0N93_d8mUEiA
• Facebookfacebook.com/espressolabtr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/espressolab
• Instagraminstagram.com/espressolabtr

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Espressolab