The travel retail company will manage Costa Coffee’s 142 stores across the two countries | Photo credit: Lagardère Travel Retail

France-based Lagardère Travel Retail has completed the acquisition of master franchise rights for UK-based coffee chain Costa Coffee in Poland and Latvia.  
 

The agreement, first announced in September 2021, has now been finalised following an extensive review by Polish competition authorities. 

The travel retail company, which will manage Costa Coffee’s 142 stores across the two countries, said the move will strengthen the coffee chain as the ‘most important branded coffee chain in Poland’. 

In a press release, Paris-based Lagardère Travel Retail said both parties are keen to ‘rapidly’ grow the Costa Coffee brand in Poland. 

The company also said the agreement complements its position in the Polish branded coffee shop market where it currently operates over 50 stores of Romanian coffee chain So! Coffee.  

“To help support our ambitious growth plans in Poland, we were looking for a partner who shares our vision and values, as well as a commitment to putting team members and consumers at the heart of every decision. Lagardère Travel Retail are that partner, with fantastic experience in running and operating highly successful retail stores. Throughout the transition period, we will work closely together to ensure seamless communication across teams and coffee shops. Both parties are deeply invested in ensuring that this change is as easy as possible for team members, partners, suppliers and our consumers,” said Gordon Mowat, Managing Director, Costa Coffee EMENA. 

Lagardère Travel Retail has partnered with Costa Coffee since 2008, operating 60 coffee shops and 60 Costa Express machines across the Czech Republic.  

The company is also set to launch Costa Coffee’s first outlet in Austria, with a store at Vienna Airport this quarter.   

World Coffee Portal research forecasts the Polish branded coffee shop market will exceed 1,420 outlets by 2027, while the total Latvian branded coffee shop market, currently estimated at 56 outlets, is predicted to reach 74 stores over the same period.