Costa Coffee
Historical Timeline
- 1971 — Sergio and Bruno Costa open first roastery in London
- 1978 — First Costa Coffee shop on Vauxhall Bridge Road
- 2000s — International expansion (Middle East, Asia)
- 2018 — Coca-Cola acquires Costa for $5.1B
- 2019 — Costa Express machines reach 10,000+ locations
- 2023 — 4,000+ stores across 40+ countries
Business Model
Coffee shop chain with company-owned and franchised locations. Costa Express vending machines (high-margin), and at-home products distributed through Coca-Cola's network.
Competitive Moat
Coca-Cola's distribution network gives access to retail channels Starbucks cannot reach. Costa Express (15,000+ machines) generates high-margin revenue from non-traditional locations.
Key Data
Stores: 4,000+ across 40+ countries; Parent: Coca-Cola (2018, $5.1B); Express machines: 15,000+; Blend: Mocha Italia since 1971
Interesting Facts
The Coca-Cola acquisition was Coke's largest-ever food acquisition — a $5.1B bet that hot beverages would be the next growth frontier.