ZUS Coffee makes Thailand debut amid Southeast Asia expansion

Homegrown Malaysian coffee chain ZUS COFFEE has officially entered Thailand, marking another milestone in its ambition to become a leading accessible specialty coffee brand across Southeast Asia.

The Thailand debut is part of ZUS COFFEE’s broader regional growth strategy, with plans to open 50 stores across the country by 2026. The move extends the brand’s footprint beyond its core markets of Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Brunei, with Indonesia also on the horizon.

Founded in Malaysia in 2019, ZUS COFFEE has grown rapidly on the back of its app-first, 'New retail' model, blending technology, data and human-centric design. The brand reached its 1,000th outlet milestone in 2025 and is now supported by an 8,000-strong team across the region.

Speaking at the Thailand launch, group chief operating officer Venon Tian described the expansion as a meaningful step. "Opening in a diverse landscape such as Thailand is meaningful for us, a brand from a relatively smaller nation, he said. Tian added that the Thailand entry represents an opportunity for ZUS to collaborate with local teams, while deepening its understanding of the diverse and evolving Southeast Asian palate.

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At the heart of ZUS COFFEE’s model is its proprietary app, which captures customer insights around taste preferences and consumption habits. This data-led approach allows the brand to develop beverages grounded in local insights, while maintaining operational efficiency and consistency as it scales across markets.

Rather than pushing a one-size-fits-all menu, ZUS COFFEE uses its technology to adapt meaningfully to local tastes, balancing a universal brand identity with hyperlocal relevance. This has enabled the brand to grow in an increasingly competitive beverage landscape, while staying focused on sustainable expansion.

The Thailand market also aligns with ZUS COFFEE’s belief that specialty coffee should be affordable and part of everyday life. Pattarnun Meesiripeyratorn (Mint), general manager of ZUS COFFEE Thailand, said Thai consumers enjoy quality coffee daily and should not have to choose between taste and accessibility. "As we expand across Thailand, our focus is on delivering consistent quality of our specially curated premium beverages, including our bestseller, the Spanish Latte, at prices that fit everyday consumption," added Mint. 

Beyond products, ZUS COFFEE’s growth strategy across Southeast Asia is rooted in community building. The brand prioritises local sourcing, job creation and collaborations in every market it enters, positioning itself as a community-first brand rather than a transactional coffee chain.

The Thailand launch builds on momentum highlighted in an April 2025 MARKETING-INTERACTIVE report, which revealed that ZUS COFFEE was planning to open nearly 200 new stores across Southeast Asia last year. At the time, Tian noted that the brand had become Malaysia’s largest coffee chain, overtaking Starbucks with 743 outlets nationwide, compared to Starbucks’ 320 stores.

ZUS COFFEE’s localisation strategy was also pointed out as a key driver of success, with market-specific flavours such as palm sugar drinks in Malaysia and purple yam coffee in the Philippines. As the brand continues its regional push, analysts previously cautioned that saturated markets like Singapore and Indonesia would test its ability to stand out, not just on price, but on emotional connection, storytelling and community relevance.

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