Compose Coffee's breakneck expansion strengthens Jollibee Group's global growth engine

Compose Coffee, one of South Korea’s fastest-growing coffee chains, is emerging as a major growth engine within the Jollibee Group’s international portfolio, following a rapid expansion that has reshaped its position in one of the world’s most competitive coffee markets.

The brand reached a milestone of 3,000 stores in September 2025, adding 1,000 outlets in under 18 months after opening its 2,000th location. The pace of growth highlights Compose Coffee’s scalable operating model, strong consumer appeal, and increasing strategic importance to Jollibee Group’s global ambitions.

South Korea - often dubbed the “Coffee Republic” due to its high per-capita consumption and trend-driven café culture - has served as the proving ground for Compose Coffee’s rise. Despite intense competition, the brand recorded more than 10% year-on-year growth in total product sales in 2025.

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Its signature iced Americano, made using in-house roasted beans and the proprietary Bitter Holic blend, sold approximately 200 million cups during the year, underscoring both consumer trust and the brand’s ability to scale at volume. A high-profile collaboration with BTS member V further amplified Compose Coffee’s cultural relevance and customer engagement.

Beyond store growth, Compose Coffee has continued to invest in operational control and product quality. Guided by the positioning “Coffee as coffee should be,” the brand has shifted towards large-scale in-house roasting and data-driven quality management, including moisture analysis and laser-based colour tracking. Its research and development efforts have also supported ongoing menu innovation.

That innovation has translated directly into sales momentum. The Buyeo Chestnut menu exceeded 400,000 cups sold within a week of launch, supported by a digital campaign that generated 15 million views. Other returning and expanded offerings, including the Raw Chocolate Latte and Jeolmi Series, have reinforced Compose Coffee’s appeal amid evolving dessert-beverage trends.

With a dominant domestic footprint established, the brand is now preparing for overseas expansion. Leveraging Jollibee Group’s supply chain capabilities and operational presence across more than 30 countries, Compose Coffee is eyeing Southeast Asia as its next growth frontier, aligned with the global rise of Korean food and beverage culture.

“Compose Coffee’s explosive growth in the world’s ‘Coffee Republic’ proves its ability to scale with quality, value, and brand love. As we bring this momentum to more international markets, we see significant opportunities to create long-term value for shareholders. Compose Coffee is a strategic growth engine for the Jollibee Group’s international portfolio, and we are committed to investing behind its global potential,” said Richard C.W. Shin, CEO, Jollibee Group International, and global chief financial and risk officer, Jollibee Group.

The Compose Coffee app has amassed 17.59 million cumulative users - equivalent to around one in three Koreans and 60% of the country’s economically active population. Following the brand’s collaboration with BTS V, new subscriptions rose by 8.3 million.

Compose Coffee’s performance also supports broader momentum across Jollibee Group’s coffee and tea segment, which has benefited from continued store openings and strong consumer traction across key markets. As the Group sharpens its focus on disciplined expansion and asset-light growth, Compose Coffee is expected to play an increasingly central role in its international strategy.

Beyond Compose Coffee, the Jollibee Group’s coffee and Chinese cuisine portfolio continues to scale at pace. In Vietnam, Highlands Coffee has grown into the country’s market leader, with close to 1,000 stores, more than 100 million customers served annually, and a workforce exceeding 10,000. The brand has doubled its footprint over the past three years, underpinned by double-digit same-store sales and transaction growth.

In China, Yonghe King added 35 new franchised outlets in December alone, strengthening the Group’s presence in a market now showing signs of operational stabilisation. Tim Ho Wan, meanwhile, has emerged as a fast-moving global growth platform: all Hong Kong stores returned to profitability within six months of acquisition, while its first company-operated US outlet opened within a year. The Group is targeting 20 Tim Ho Wan locations across North America by 2028, signalling confidence in the brand’s scalability beyond Asia.

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