California-based Reborn Coffee has signed a master franchise agreement with interior design consulting firm IAID Co., Ltd to open stores in China.  

The specialty coffee roaster and café chain, which described the partnership in a press release as a lifestyle social gathering venture, said it will open a flagship store in Guangzhou, Guangdong province, before expanding to other major cities such as Shanghai and Shenzhen. 

Reborn Coffee added that it is seeking to replicate the success of its international debut in Malaysia last year and will lean on IAID Co., Ltd.’s expertise in lifestyle design to cater to ‘the sophisticated tastes and lifestyle aspirations’ of Chinese consumers. 

“We are fully dedicated to ensuring our expansion into China becomes a landmark success. This joint venture with IAID Co., Ltd. is a significant step forward in our strategic endeavours to introduce Reborn Coffee’s distinctive coffee culture to new geographies,” said Jay Kim, CEO, Reborn Coffee. 

“Our collaboration is set to redefine the coffee scene by introducing a premium specialty coffee experience coupled with a high-quality, design-focused lifestyle social gathering. We are confident that this unique fusion will not only captivate the region but also propel Reborn Coffee to tremendous success in Guangdong Province,” added Henry Hu, CEO of IAID Co., Ltd. 

Reborn Coffee achieved 84% year-on-year sales growth in 2023 to reach $6million. It currently operates 13 US stores alongside its single site in Kuala Lumpur and has agreements in place to launch in the UAE and South Korea in 2024.