Two European cafe chains unveiled plans to enter Ukraine, setting the stage for fierce competition
Two European coffee cafe chains have unveiled plans to enter Ukraine, setting the stage for fierce competition in a promising market being eyed by world leaders, including Starbucks.
British Costa Coffee and Poland’s Coffee Heaven are the newest chains gearing up to enter Ukraine, where the Gloria Jean’s franchise opened its first coffee shop in November.
British-owned Costa Coffee, a subsidiary of leading UK hotel and restaurant operator Whitbread, plans to enter the Ukrainian market through a partnership with Moscow-based Rosinter, a fast-food chain.
Costa Coffee, which operates 923 coffee shops, hopes to launch 200 in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus within the next five years as part of the partnership reached with Rosinter.
Coffee Heaven, founded in Poland seven years ago, currently operates a total of 76 coffee shops in Eastern Europe, with 43 of these in its native Poland.
The company listed its stock on the Alternative Investment Market of the London Stock Exchange back in 2001. The company plans to open 350 new shops within the next several years.
