Founded in 1963 by Herbert B. Hyman in Los Angeles, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf began as a gourmet coffee service for local offices. The first retail store opened in 1968 in Brentwood, California, offering whole-bean coffee, visible roasting, and flavor sampling.
The company is headquartered in Los Angeles, with its global innovation and experience center located in Singapore. It began franchising in 2001, quickly expanding into Asia with dozens of stores in Singapore and Malaysia within the first two years.
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf sells handcrafted specialty coffee, hand-plucked whole-leaf teas, signature Ice Blended® drinks, single-serve capsules, bakery items, powders, brewing equipment, and branded merchandise. All coffee beans are top 1% Arabica, small-batch roasted in Camarillo, California, and ethically sourced from East Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific.
The brand stands out by pioneering the original Ice Blended® drink in 1987—before the Starbucks Frappuccino. It focuses on quality, innovation, visible roasting experiences, and global impact programs like Caring Cup®. Backed by Jollibee since 2019, it continues to expand worldwide with a strong franchise system.
Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf offers 2 types of franchises:
We are summarizing below the main costs associated with opening a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Special Distribution Store (Full Service) Franchise.
For more information on the various types of franchises and its costs, refer to the Franchise Disclosure Document (Item 7).
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf provides an in-depth training program to ensure franchisees operate their stores effectively and in line with the brand's standards. Here are the key components of their training:
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf grants its franchisees the right to operate within a specified "Designated Territory," usually centered around the physical premises of the store, such as in a mall or airport terminal.
While this area provides operational space, it does not equate to exclusive territorial rights. Franchisees are not allowed to operate other distribution models like kiosks or carts outside of this designated area without prior consent.
Despite the lack of exclusivity, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf commits that it and its affiliates will not establish another store under the same brand within a franchisee’s Designated Territory during the franchise term. However, the company reserves broad rights to compete through various channels—including licensing or franchising others—outside of this specified area.
KEY FRANCHISE STATS
All you need to know about this franchise
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Below are some of
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
key competitors in the
Coffee & Tea
sector.
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$15,000 to $25,000
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