Tom N Toms

Tom N Toms, also known as Tom N Toms Coffee and 탐앤탐스, is a South Korean coffeehouse chain founded in 2001. The brand began in Seoul’s Apgujeong-dong district and developed around a café format combining coffee, other beverages, bakery products, and light food. It became one of the better-known domestic coffee brands in South Korea and is described in reference material as one of the country’s three largest coffee brands. A notable part of Tom N Toms’ product identity is its combination of coffeehouse beverages with baked and snack-oriented items. In 2005, the chain added pretzels and honey butter bread to its menu, giving the cafés a more substantial food offer than a beverage-only model. These products became associated with the brand’s Korean café proposition and helped distinguish it from chains focused primarily on espresso drinks. The company began international franchising in 2009. That year it opened two stores in Australia and one in Singapore, while also reaching its 100th location in South Korea. It subsequently established stores or franchises in the United States, Thailand, the Philippines, Macau, China, Mongolia, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. The chain’s overseas expansion included both North American locations and an extensive Asian presence. Reference material describes the network as having more than 400 branches in nine countries worldwide, although separate reporting has used different counts for international locations. The brand’s international development included several market-specific openings. Its first Macau store opened in September 2015, and its first Philippine branch opened in Bacolod City in February 2015. In the United States, Los Angeles became an important operating and testing market, with locations in Koreatown, Little Tokyo, and other areas. Tom N Toms also entered Hong Kong in 2016, opening its first branch in Sha Tin in June and adding further locations later that year, including sites in Kwun Tong and Tsim Sha Tsui. Tom N Toms also experimented with digital ordering and delivery. In June 2016, it partnered with RushOrder, a mobile-first food-ordering technology company, to test mobile ordering and on-demand delivery in the United States. Los Angeles was selected as the first test market. This initiative reflected the chain’s effort to adapt its established café model to digitally mediated ordering and delivery rather than relying exclusively on in-store traffic. The available reference material does not identify a current parent company, owner, chief executive, headquarters address, public listing, or official website URL. It also gives inconsistent indications of international store totals: one account refers to approximately 200 international stores, while a company global-list reference reportedly identifies 70 global stores. Accordingly, the most defensible description is a South Korean-origin coffee chain with a substantial international franchise and branch network, rather than a precisely quantified global footprint.

Tom N Toms was founded in 2001 and first opened in Seoul’s Apgujeong-dong district. Its initial development followed the South Korean coffeehouse-chain model: cafés centered on coffee and other beverages while also offering bakery products and snacks. The available historical account does not identify the founder, early ownership structure, or a specific headquarters address. In 2005, Tom N Toms broadened its food range by introducing pretzels and honey butter bread. These additions were important to the brand’s café format because they paired beverages with recognizable baked and snack products. Rather than operating only as a coffee counter, the chain presented itself as a place for coffee, casual food, and café-style socializing. The company reached a major domestic milestone in 2009, when it opened its 100th Korean location. The same year marked the beginning of its overseas franchising activity. Tom N Toms opened two stores in Australia and one in Singapore, establishing a pattern of expansion through international branches and franchises. Over time, the brand entered additional markets across Asia and North America, including the United States, Thailand, the Philippines, Macau, China, Mongolia, Malaysia, and Hong Kong. Several openings illustrate the pace and geography of that expansion. The first Macau store opened in September 2015. The brand entered the Philippines in February 2015 with a branch in Bacolod City and opened a second Philippine location in Cebu City in September 2016. In Hong Kong, the first store opened in Sha Tin in June 2016, followed by additional locations including Kwun Tong and The ONE in Tsim Sha Tsui. In the United States, Los Angeles became a significant market, with stores in Koreatown, Little Tokyo, and other locations. Tom N Toms also pursued digital-service development. In 2016, it introduced an on-demand delivery service in partnership with RushOrder. The companies announced a US mobile-ordering and delivery initiative in June, using Los Angeles as the first test market. The partnership represented an effort to extend the coffeehouse chain beyond physical visits and into app-supported ordering and delivery. The chain is described as having more than 400 branches in nine countries worldwide and as ranking among South Korea’s top three coffee brands. International store-count figures vary in the available material: one external estimate refers to approximately 200 international stores, while a company global-list reference reportedly lists 70 global stores. The discrepancy may reflect different counting dates, definitions of stores, or franchise coverage. The available sources do not establish the company’s current ownership, executive leadership, exact headquarters, financial performance, or present store count. Tom N Toms is therefore best documented as an active South Korean-origin coffeehouse brand with a broad but imperfectly quantified international network.

• 2016

  US delivery pilot and further Asian expansion

  [1]Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org

  Tom N Toms tested mobile ordering and on-demand delivery in Los Angeles and expanded its presence in Hong Kong and the Philippines.

• 2015

  Expansion into Macau and the Philippines

  [1]Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org

  The brand opened its first Philippine location in Bacolod City and its first Macau location later in the year.

• 2009

  100th Korean location and first overseas franchises

  [1]Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org

  Tom N Toms reached 100 locations in South Korea and opened its first overseas franchises in Australia and Singapore.

• 2005

  Pretzels and honey butter bread added

  [1]Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org

  The chain expanded its café food range with pretzels and honey butter bread.

• 2001

  Company founded and first café opened in Apgujeong-dong

  [1]Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org

  Tom N Toms was founded and began operations in Seoul’s Apgujeong-dong district.

A South Korean coffeehouse chain positioned around accessible café beverages combined with baked snacks and light food, with a franchise-led presence in domestic and international markets.

• Beverages · 2001

  Coffeehouse beverages

  Coffee and other café beverages form the core of Tom N Toms’ retail offer. The brand’s stores are organized around a conventional coffeehouse proposition, serving drinks alongside bakery and snack products. The available reference material does not provide a complete beverage menu or identify specific signature coffee recipes.

• Bakery and snacks · 2005

  Pretzels

  Pretzels were added to the menu in 2005 and became one of the food items associated with Tom N Toms. They support the chain’s positioning as a café offering both drinks and casual baked snacks. The available source does not specify flavors, preparation methods, or whether every market carries the same range.

• Bakery and snacks · 2005

  Honey butter bread

  Honey butter bread was introduced alongside pretzels in 2005. It is part of Tom N Toms’ broader bakery-oriented food proposition and helped make the chain distinctive among coffeehouse competitors in South Korea. Details about the current recipe, packaging, and availability by market are not established in the supplied references.

• 2016

  Pilot mobile ordering and on-demand delivery in Los AngelesStrategy

  Background

  Digital ordering and delivery were becoming important extensions of the conventional café visit.

  Action taken

  Tom N Toms partnered with RushOrder to test mobile ordering and on-demand delivery, selecting Los Angeles as the initial US market.

  Aftermath

  The pilot demonstrated an effort to adapt the chain’s international operations to app-supported ordering, but the supplied sources do not report its financial or operational results.

  Source

• 2009

  Begin international franchisingStrategy

  Background

  After building a domestic network and reaching its 100th South Korean location, Tom N Toms began extending the brand outside South Korea.

  Action taken

  The company opened two Australian stores and one Singapore store as its first overseas franchises.

  Aftermath

  The initiative established the basis for later expansion into Asia, North America, and additional international markets.

  Source

• 2005

  Expand the menu with pretzels and honey butter breadProduct launch

  Background

  Tom N Toms operated in the competitive South Korean coffeehouse market and developed a food offer alongside its beverage business.

  Action taken

  The chain added pretzels and honey butter bread to its menu.

  Aftermath

  The products became associated with the brand’s café-and-bakery proposition, although the available source does not quantify their commercial impact.

  Source

• 2016

  Tom N Toms and RushOrder launch a US mobile-ordering and delivery test[1]Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  Tom N Toms partnered with RushOrder to test mobile ordering and on-demand delivery in Los Angeles, its initial US pilot market.

• 2016

  Tom N Toms expands in Hong Kong[1]Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The chain opened its first Hong Kong branch in Sha Tin in June and added further Hong Kong locations later in the year.

• 2015

  Tom N Toms opens its first Macau store[1]Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The brand entered Macau with its first store in September, extending its Asian international network.

• 2015

  Tom N Toms enters the Philippines[1]Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The chain opened its first Philippine branch in Bacolod City in February.

• 2009

  Tom N Toms reaches its 100th Korean location and begins overseas expansion[1]Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org

  M&A · Other

  The chain opened its 100th location in South Korea and established its first overseas franchises, including two stores in Australia and one in Singapore.

1. 1Tom N Tomsen.wikipedia.org