Many people don’t realize that there are a significant number of coffee chains around
the world. We always think of the big 3 - Starbucks, Dunkin Donuts and McDonald’s McCafe. This
is understandable they are accessible throughout most of the world. But, many people forget
that there are other chains making waves, some that we in North America have absolutely
no access to. We can always hit up Starbucks or Mickey D’s but what else are we missing
out on? Let’s get those baristas working overtime and check out the 10 best coffee
chains in the world.
Gloria Jeans
Known as one of Australia’s best places to grab a cup of joe, Gloria Jeans is a full-blown
franchise. There are over 1000 Gloria Jean coffee shops across Australia and U.S. and
Puerto Rico. It was created in the United States way back in 1979 in Chicago of all
places. It was a gift shop that sold a pretty amazing cup of coffee. Word got out and by
1995 two new owners took over; Nabi Saleh and Peter Irvine. They brought the business
over to Australia and there was no looking back. The duo eventually turned this company
into a franchise by 1998 and they began popping up all over the world. Of course, the company
isn’t without drama. They’ve had a few call outs and court battles. They were called
out for the sugar content found in their drinks. 95.5 grams of sugar was a staple in their
Mocha Chiller Coco Loco. Keep in mind this was the regular size. This is just way too
much sugar for anything. They also had to battle it out in court with 22 former employees
for underpayment of wages. They were charged with paying employees with less than half
of the minimum wage. As for their coffee, it has some pretty rave reviews.
Caffe Nero
Founded in 1997 by Gerry Ford, not to be mistaken with Gerald Ford the former US president,
Caffe Nero is booming in the UK. it’s very popular in Turkey, UAE, and Cyprus just to
name a few. The sophisticated look of the cafe is what has fans flocking to it but eventually,
they stay for the tasty coffee and food. They offer vegetarian, vegan, gluten free, wheat
free and nut free options for their desserts and foods. The founder, Ford was so serious
about his coffee that once his company started to get going he opened his own Roastery and
“created a unique award-winning coffee blend”. They continue to use this roastery on a regular
basis to create new blends that continuously win awards. On the website, they also mention
that their baristas go through special training. “We set up our espresso training school
– where all our Baristas master the art of coffee making”. The company is still
family owned and operated and has expanded to more than 800 coffee shops around Europe.
In 2017 they won their latest award; Best Store & Best Menu from Sweets & Coffee Awards.
One of the more unique things about this company is that it is not franchised. Many people
believe it is because of the number of locations around Europe but all the stores are operated
by the company.
Caribou Coffee
Caribou Coffee’s actual slogan is “Life is Short, Stay Awake for it”. Not only is
this slogan clever, it’s also all business. Right off the bat, you know what you’re
in for with Caribou Coffee. They’re here to keep you awake and help you tolerate all
those crazy days at the office. This company has been around since 1992. They originated
in Minnesota and quickly became a local favorite. The now have over 600 stores around America.
In fact, they are said to be the second largest coffee chain in America after Starbucks (of
course). They have been lucky enough to stay pretty scandal-free besides a small data breach.
In December 2018, the company’s data was breached releasing credit card numbers and
CVV numbers. This forced thousands of people to have to replace their credit and debit
cards. Besides that, Caribou Coffee has been on the up and up. They were acquired by JAB
Holding Company and in 2019 they put a new CEO in place. They’re in good company as
JAB Holding Company owns several other coffee chains including Peet’s Coffee & Tea, and
several other lucrative brands. We may start to see more Caribou Coffee shops opening up.
Tim Hortons
Known for its coffee and donuts, Tim Hortons has become so much more. It is the biggest
coffee chain in Canada. Locations continue to pop up on every corner and their menu continues
to expand. While they still hold their outstanding reputation for a great cup of coffee, you
can now enjoy a soup and sandwich combo.They have even gotten themselves into the cold
drink business with their fan favorite Iced Cappuccino, Iced Coffee, and their popular
summer fruit smoothies. Their coffee is so loved by locals and tourists that there are
a few US locations and one in England. They’ve even expanded to Europe, UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait,
Spain, and Qatar, just to name a few. There seem to be no signs of slowing down. The company
merged with Burger King and operates under Restaurant Brands International. 2020 will
mark 55 years of service for the company. We can only imagine what tricks they could
possibly have up their sleeves. In the past, they’ve celebrated holidays and big events
with speciality donuts and drinks. They also recently added a kids menu to appease to all
family members. This company is certainly headed in the right direction.
Costa Coffee
Costa Coffee has been dubbed the largest and fastest growing coffee shop chain in the UK.
Not bad for a family owned and operated company. What started out as a supply company for local
vendors and caterers has moved on to be one of the most popular spots to meet up with
friends and chit chat over a nice cup of joe. They have even expanded their menu to cakes,
pastries, sandwiches, soups and more. This company is so serious about the quality and
taste of their coffee that they did something kind of insane. They employed Gennaro Pelliccia.
To us this a nobody but to coffee franchises, this guy is a god. Pelliccia is known as a
master of coffee. He even has his tongue insured by Lloyd’s of London for 10 Million Pounds
in case anything happens. We can only assume they are paying him a pretty penny to keep
him on staff. Costa Coffee has several locations around the globe. At one point they even had
their Express Costa brand in Shell gas stations around Canada. As of January 2019, they were
bought out by Coca Cola and are planning on expanding into hospitals, universities and
transit stations.
Dutch Bros
Dutch Bros coffee has been “Roastin and Rocking” since 1992. It was founded by two
brothers with Dutch heritage. However, the family didn’t start out in coffee. They
were in the dairy farming business but were pressured by government regulations to sell
their cows. The family kept the barn though and used the space to experiment with coffee.
They started with one small espresso machine. The brothers literally set up a pushcart by
the railroad and began selling their brew. Fast forward to today and this company has
over 300 locations in seven states and have employed over 7,000 people. They have the
title of being “the country’s largest, privately held drive-thru coffee company”.
Because the company is not franchised out, they can still maintain the same integrity
and control that they started with. For the brothers, this means giving away as many free
coffees as they would like and continuing to expand to places that they believe is best
for their customers. The brothers maintain that their only missions is, “spreading
the Dutch Luv.”. Unfortunately, one of the brothers passed away in 2009 of Lou Gehrig’s
disease. This has prompted the company to partner with charities and now give away over
$2 million a year to local charities and nonprofit organizations.
McDonald’s McCafe
McDonald’s wasn’t happy about not having a piece of the coffee pie so they did something
about it. They upgraded their coffee and hit the ground running. They even gave their coffee
and treats menu a new name; McCafe. McCafe was first launched in Australia back in 1993.
It consisted of a cafe-style McDonald’s that didn’t sell any of the delicious food
but a great cup of coffee and some treats. It did so well that they began to expand throughout
the US, France, Costa Rica and so on. Now, it’s basically everywhere - one even opened
in Belarus in 2018. Of course, the company had a great reputation behind it, giving it
that boost that it needed to be great. In Canada and the United States, there are now
standalone McCafe restaurants that sell completely different food from their sister company McDonald’s.
Things like Affogato (espresso over ice cream), paninis and sandwiches and specialty and seasonal
drinks like peppermint mochas, and smoothies. So, what was the point of McCafe? McDonald’s
realized that some people just wanted to pop into the fast food joint for a cup of coffee
but they had to withstand long lines. McCafe gives you the opportunity to go in grab your
coffee without having to wait for other people’s whole meals to be made.
LavAzza Cafe
Dubbed Italy’s favorite espresso, LavAzza has certainly made their mark in the coffee
world. Most people know LavAzza through their take-home coffee that you can brew or grind
yourself. However, this is an actual cafe in a few European countries. Their coffee
is strong, dark and robust. How does LavAzza keep producing such an amazing blend of coffee?
They have apparently been using the same brewers for decades. They found that one blend that
was so good that they rarely change things up. The company started in 1895 by Luigi Lavazza.
He was one of the first people to discover that coffee could have different blends and
tastes. Because coffee is such a big deal to this company as soon as they began to see
profit and riches from their business they began investing in saving rainforests and
local agriculture. This was their effort to protect their business. It has paid off and
the company remains one of the most go to cafes in Europe. It’s even more important
than Starbucks, but most importantly, they have expanded to owning other companies. They
currently own 21 other companies (not all coffee related). They also own 4 manufacturing
plants where they manufacture their own brand. So everything is done in-house.
Starbucks
As much as some people love to hate this coffee chain, they have to admit that it is one of
the more convenient places to grab their daily coffee. We all know Starbucks backstory since
its humble beginnings in Seattle. The company now owns over 28,000 stores worldwide and
are only adding more. Since opening in 1971 the company has kept up with the times and
always has something to offer Starbucks newbies. The company has quickly become the go-to stop
for a quick cup of coffee. But let’s not forget that they have really upped their food
game. They offer treats and food that range from being keto friendly to vegan and everything
in between. Starbucks really knows what they are doing when it comes to pleasing their
customers. The company has benefited from not franchising but not everyone can have
a company that can sustain itself without having to franchise. What is the Starbucks
secret? People have bragged about having better coffee but yet they continue to be the popular
crew in the coffee world. This coffee chain is one that can officially sustain itself
with little to no effort. Truly, where else can you get unicorn frappuccino, several variations
of iced coffee and sous vide breakfast?
Dunkin Donuts
Dunkin Donuts has had a pretty questionable reputation. Many people say they have had
better donuts, many people say they have had better coffee. Yet, they are one of the coffee
shops that is making bank in revenue. It is dubbed the 8th largest fast food chain in
the world. 8th may seem like a crummy place to be in but think about how many fast food
chains we have in this world. 8th means top notch. Dunkin Donuts can thank their marketing
and development team for that. What was once a place known for a hot coffee and a donut
has now become a place where you can get so much more. Their iced coffee is so bomb that
they sell it in stores now. They are coming out with more unique, seasonal donuts that
people are running to try. Don’t forget that they have invested in better blends for
their coffee meaning better quality and great taste, and their parent company, Dunkin Brands
has so much more going on. They also own Baskin Robbins and the very popular Japanese donut
brand Mister Donut. So clearly this company isn’t hurting for anything. At the Mister
Donut locations, they have a churro donut who doesn't want that? In America that is
a specialty donut but there, it’s just the norm. Keep making ideas like that and they
will start to surpass dare we say every donut joint in town? At the end of the day, no
matter where you get your favorite cup of joe you can’t go wrong with one of these
coffee destinations. We know there are those who prefer a cup from a mom and pop shop but
when it comes to coffee the call of a Venti Mocha Frappuccino will eventually get you.
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