BANGKOK: Malaysian coffee chain ZUS Coffee plans to open 50 outlets in Thailand in 2026, following its official debut in the Kingdom on Friday.
Co-founder and group chief operating officer Venon Tian said the company spent about six months to seven months on research and development to better understand the Thai market ahead of its launch.
"Entering a diverse and competitive market such as Thailand is meaningful for us as a brand from a relatively smaller nation.
"We plan to open 50 stores here in 2026 to strengthen our presence in one of Southeast Asia’s most mature coffee markets,” he told Bernama.
Tian said the expansion builds on ZUS Coffee’s growing footprint across Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines and Brunei, as well as its upcoming entry into Indonesia.
Earlier, Malaysian Ambassador to Thailand Datuk Wan Zaidi Wan Abdullah attended the launch ceremony at Dusit Central Park, a shopping mall in Bangkok.
ZUS Coffee is currently one of the fastest-growing coffee chains in Southeast Asia, operating more than 1,000 outlets and employing over 8,000 people across the region.
Focusing on its home market, Tian said the group plans to open 200 new outlets in Malaysia this year, in line with strong consumer demand.
"While our vision is to expand beyond ASEAN, Malaysia remains where everything begins. With 200 new stores planned this year, we will also enter two new markets -- Indonesia and Pakistan -- in the first quarter,” he said.
Meanwhile, Wan Zaidi encouraged more Malaysian companies to expand into Thailand, citing strong demand and positive reception for Malaysian brands.
"Malaysian brands, especially in the food and beverage sector, should emulate ZUS Coffee by expanding into Thailand, as the market here is larger and Malaysian products are very well received,” he said.
Founded in Malaysia in 2019, ZUS Coffee has scaled its app-first, new retail operating model across Southeast Asia and aims to operate 1,300 outlets by the end of 2026. - Bernama
