In June 2022 Epiphany Café announced plans to expand into its key US market before the end of 2022 | Photo credit: Epiphany Café

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New Zealand-based Epiphany Café is working with US consultancy company Franchise Genesis to explore expansion into North America.

The Hamilton-based coffee and donut chain, which operates 65 franchised and licensed locations across New Zealand, said it would work with Franchise Genesis to establish an effective franchise structure for Epiphany’s expansion into new local markets.

Epiphany Café launched in Malaysia in June 2022 and announced plans to expand into the Philippines and its key US market before the end of the year.

The company's CEO Jeths Lacson said it is in the process of assessing potential M&A agreements with established, multi-store brands already in the country.

The US has a very competitive coffee and donut market, led by Cinnabon, Daylight Donuts and Krispy Kreme, who operate 646, 450 and 370 stores in the country respectively.

Although it rebranded to emphasise its coffee, soft drinks and food-to-go range in September 2018, donuts remain a key element of the product offering across the country’s 9,262 Dunkin’ stores, as well as Tim Hortons’ 637 US outlets.

Epiphany Café is the leading F&B business of New York-based Starfleet Innotech. The investment holding company said that the launch of Epiphany Café in the US will enable it to develop additional projects in the region.

Starfleet’s other F&B divisions include New Zealand coffee roaster Gorgeous Coffee Co. and Australian donut wholesaler Big Lou’s Donuts.