The Coffee Club
An Australian multinational café and casual-dining chain built around coffee, all-day meals, and informal hospitality.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
The Coffee Club is an Australian multinational café chain that combines coffeehouse service with a broader casual-dining format. The business began in Brisbane in 1989 after friends Emmanuel Kokoris and Emmanuel Drivas were unable to find a satisfactory late-night coffee. Their response was to create a venue centered on the Greek idea of philoxenia, or hospitality toward strangers. The first outlet opened at Eagle Street Pier on 2 November 1989. Rather than remaining a narrowly focused coffee bar, The Coffee Club developed a café-restaurant model with table service and an expanded menu. Its stores typically serve espresso-based drinks, tea, breakfast, lunch, desserts, and other casual meals. This format positioned the brand as a place for social meetings, family dining, and everyday occasions as well as takeaway coffee. The brand's intended experience is informal, accessible, and hospitality-led, with a stronger food offering than a specialist espresso counter. The business began franchising on 1 July 1994. Franchising provided the basis for rapid expansion throughout Australia and later enabled master-franchise arrangements in overseas markets. The first international store opened in Wellington, New Zealand, in November 2005. By 2021, the New Zealand network had grown to more than 65 outlets. International expansion accelerated after Minor International announced in October 2007 that it would acquire a 50 percent stake in The Coffee Club. The transaction was reported as being worth more than A$23 million and was intended to support development in Asia and the Middle East. Thailand became an important overseas market, with its first store opening in December 2008. The chain subsequently established a presence across markets including the United Arab Emirates, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Seychelles, the Maldives, Cambodia, and Singapore. In October 2022, the first Singapore outlet opened using the rebranded name C Australia’s Coffee Club. The Coffee Club has also extended its portfolio beyond cafés. In September 2011, the group acquired Australian steakhouse chain Ribs and Rumps, a move described as complementary because the two concepts targeted similar family-oriented customers. The acquisition illustrated the group's interest in casual dining as well as coffee retailing. The brand has presented responsible sourcing and food-production initiatives as part of its operating approach. In 2009 it joined the UTZ certification program, which promoted more sustainable and socially responsible coffee production. In 2011 it joined the RSPCA's Choose Wisely campaign, which encouraged consumers and businesses to support more humane food-production practices. In 2021, The Coffee Club was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame. The recognition reflected its development from a Brisbane café concept into one of Australia's largest coffee retail businesses and an international franchise network. The company is best understood as a mainstream, full-service café and casual-dining brand whose competitive proposition rests on convenience, broad menus, recognizable Australian origins, and a comfortable social setting.
History
The Coffee Club originated in Brisbane in 1989 when Emmanuel Kokoris and Emmanuel Drivas were looking for a late-night coffee. Their inability to find what they considered an excellent coffee prompted them to establish their own café concept. The first store opened at Eagle Street Pier on 2 November 1989. The founders drew on the Greek notion of philoxenia, commonly understood as hospitality toward strangers, as an organizing idea for the customer experience. The original concept expanded beyond beverage service. The Coffee Club developed café-bar and restaurant locations with broader menus and full table service, allowing the business to compete for breakfast, lunch, dessert, and social dining occasions as well as coffee visits. This broader format helped distinguish the chain from smaller takeaway-focused coffee outlets and made it suitable for suburban, retail, airport, and other high-footfall locations. On 1 July 1994, the business became a franchise. Franchising enabled the Australian network to grow through independently operated locations using a common brand and operating concept. The chain later used master-franchise arrangements to enter overseas markets. Its first international store opened in Wellington, New Zealand, in November 2005 under Bradley Jacobs and Andy Lucas. The New Zealand business subsequently expanded to more than 65 stores by 2021. A significant ownership and expansion development occurred in October 2007, when Thailand-based Minor International announced the acquisition of a 50 percent stake in The Coffee Club. The reported transaction value exceeded A$23 million. The investment was associated with plans to expand the café brand in Asian and Middle Eastern markets and with broader cooperation involving other Minor brands. The first Thai Coffee Club store opened in December 2008. The group also pursued portfolio expansion in Australia. In September 2011 it acquired Ribs and Rumps, a steakhouse chain aimed at a family-friendly customer base. The transaction extended the group's involvement in casual dining and was presented as commercially complementary to The Coffee Club because of the overlap between their target customers. By October 2013, the Brisbane Airport outlet was reported as the chain's busiest Australian location, with the Townsville Domain retail-centre store ranked second. The brand's international network later extended across Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, China, Vietnam, Indonesia, the Seychelles, the Maldives, Cambodia, Singapore, and other markets, with publicly described network totals exceeding 400 stores across 15 countries. Exact current store counts and market status can change and are not specified here beyond the referenced descriptions. The Coffee Club has also undertaken responsibility-oriented initiatives. It joined the UTZ certification program in 2009, linking the brand to efforts around sustainable coffee production. In 2011 it joined the RSPCA's Choose Wisely campaign, which promoted more humane food-production practices. In 2021, the company was inducted into the Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame. In October 2022, it opened its first Singapore outlet under the rebranded name C Australia’s Coffee Club. The chain remains an active Australian-origin café and casual-dining brand with domestic and international franchise operations.
- 2022
Singapore launch under a rebranded name
[1]The first Singapore outlet opened as C Australia’s Coffee Club.
- 2021
Queensland Business Leaders Hall of Fame induction
[1]The Coffee Club was recognized for its development into a major Australian and international coffee retailer.
- 2011
Ribs and Rumps acquired
[1]The group acquired the Australian steakhouse chain as part of its casual-dining portfolio development.
- 2009
UTZ certification initiative
[1]The brand joined the UTZ certification program to support responsible coffee production.
- 2008
First Thai store opens
[1]The Coffee Club entered Thailand in December.
- 2007
Minor International takes a 50 percent stake
[1]Minor International announced an investment of more than A$23 million for half of the business.
- 2005
International expansion begins in New Zealand
[1]The first overseas outlet opened in Wellington in November.
- 1994
Franchising begins
[1]The Coffee Club became a franchise on 1 July, establishing the principal mechanism for subsequent network expansion.
- 1989
First Coffee Club store opens in Brisbane
[1]The first outlet opened at Eagle Street Pier on 2 November after Emmanuel Kokoris and Emmanuel Drivas developed the concept.
Products and positioning
Mainstream, accessible café and casual dining for everyday coffee, breakfast, lunch, meetings, and family occasions; the brand emphasizes hospitality, broad menus, comfortable venues, and community-oriented service.
Beverages · 1989
Coffee
Coffee is the brand's core offering, spanning espresso-based drinks and other café beverages. The concept was created specifically around providing an excellent coffee, but the chain presents coffee within a broader dine-in hospitality environment rather than as a specialist beverage-only format.
Breakfast
All-day breakfast
All-day breakfast is a central food proposition that extends breakfast occasions beyond the morning. It supports the brand's positioning as a relaxed café-restaurant suitable for different schedules and complements its coffee-led identity.
Casual dining · 1989
Lunch and casual dining
The Coffee Club's expanded menu includes lunch and other casual meals served in venues with table service. This restaurant-style offer broadens the customer mission from a quick coffee to meetings, family dining, and everyday meals.
Beverages
Tea and non-coffee beverages
Tea and other non-coffee drinks provide alternatives for customers who want a café beverage without espresso. They form part of the chain's broad, mainstream menu architecture.
Desserts
Desserts
Desserts complement the chain's beverage and casual-dining offer and reinforce its role as a social café destination rather than solely a breakfast or takeaway operator.
Marketing campaigns
- 2011RSPCA Choose Wisely
Australia
The Coffee Club joined the RSPCA's Choose Wisely campaign, which encouraged humane food-production choices.
Outcome. The brand participated in a public responsible-food-production initiative; the reference does not quantify its commercial or operational results.
- 2009UTZ Certification Program
Australia
The Coffee Club joined the UTZ certification program, associating its coffee sourcing with efforts to promote more sustainable and responsible production.
Outcome. The initiative linked the brand to a recognized responsible-coffee sourcing program; later operational outcomes are not specified in the reference material.
Brand decisions
2022
Singapore entry under a rebranded identityStrategyBackground
The brand continued its Asian expansion while adapting its presentation for the Singapore market.
Action taken
The first Singapore outlet opened under the name C Australia’s Coffee Club.
Aftermath
The launch established a Singapore presence, although the reference material does not provide subsequent store counts or performance.
2011
Acquisition of Ribs and RumpsM&ABackground
The group identified a family-friendly steakhouse concept with a customer base considered compatible with The Coffee Club.
Action taken
The Coffee Club group acquired Australian steakhouse chain Ribs and Rumps.
Aftermath
The acquisition broadened the group's presence in casual dining beyond cafés.
2008
Thai market launchProduct launchBackground
Following the strategic investment by Minor International, the brand pursued development in Thailand.
Action taken
The first Thai Coffee Club outlet opened in December.
Aftermath
Thailand became one of the brand's established international markets.
2007
Minor International investmentM&ABackground
The Coffee Club was seeking to accelerate expansion in Asian and Middle Eastern markets.
Action taken
Minor International announced the acquisition of a 50 percent stake in the business.
Aftermath
The investment was followed by the opening of the first Thai store in December 2008 and supported the brand's international development plans.
Reported transaction value. More than A$23 million for a 50 percent stake (October 2007)
1994
Adopt franchising as the expansion modelStrategyBackground
After establishing the Brisbane café concept, the business sought a structure capable of supporting broader network growth.
Action taken
The Coffee Club became a franchise on 1 July 1994.
Aftermath
Franchising became the foundation for the brand's Australian rollout and later international master-franchise development.
Recent events
The Coffee Club introduces Care Kits[3]
Reported:
The Coffee Club introduced Care Kits in Australia, offering a loaf of bread and a 2L bottle of milk for $8 plus delivery, with dairy-free options, through Uber Eats.
Sources3 sources
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