After opening 500 kiosks in 4 years, Pickup Coffee will now start franchising

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On its fourth anniversary, celebrated on March 19 in Rockwell, kiosk-format Pickup Coffee announced that it has over 500 stores, new store formats, an enhanced app, and is open for franchising.

“We are the fastest growing, proudly Filipino coffee chain with more than 500 stores nationwide,” Francis Flores, Global Managing Director for Pickup Coffee, said in a speech. “The 500 stores that we have now are still all company owned,” he pointed out.

“We’re launching franchising soon,” he said. Speaking with BusinessWorld, he added, “We believe we can be more than 500 in the Philippines. Imagine, if we were able to grow that fast on our own, lalo na ‘pag may (it would be even more if there are) franchisees.”

“We’re not stopping opening company-owned stores as well,” he clarified. “Now that we have 500 stores, we feel like there’s even more potential.”

Speaking on the speed of its growth in just four years, he said, “Accessibility and distribution is key to growing. We want to be everywhere, as fast as we can.”

THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT
The fact that they have an app that customers can use to order (and access more services) helped a lot: “Our app is a core operating tool, not just a marketing feature,” he said. “It streamlines ordering, reduces queue times, improves store efficiency, and gives us data to make better decisions — from menu development to location strategy. Being tech-forward allows us to scale intelligently while improving customer experience.”

In changing how the Filipino consumes coffee, he said that in previous years, premium espresso was at too high a price point for the average Filipino. “The average Filipino cannot afford to drink it every day. What we have seen, we became an everyday brand,” he said during the interview.

In an e-mail, he added, “Pickup Coffee raised the standard for what everyday espresso can be — premium in taste, but accessible in price and availability. Through efficient formats, a grab‑and‑go model, and tech‑enabled operations, we’re able to make quality coffee part of daily life for more people.”

With their coffee at below P100 (unlike those offered by foreign coffee chains), Mr. Flores spoke about how they are able to keep prices down. In an e-mail he said: “Affordability has been thoughtfully built into our business model from the start. We’re able to keep prices accessible by designing efficient store formats, streamlining operations, leveraging technology to improve productivity, and scaling procurement responsibly. This allows us to offer quality espresso-based drinks at approachable prices — without compromising product standards.”

GETTING BIG BY STAYING SMALL
As mentioned above, Pickup works within a kiosk model, with a grab-and-go format. “The small-format model works because it’s capital-efficient, flexible, and scalable,” said Mr. Flores in the e-mail. “It allows us to enter high-traffic locations quickly, reduce overhead costs, achieve faster breakeven per store, and expand sustainably across different cities. This model supports disciplined growth, which is critical for long-term resilience.”

However, during the event, they did announce more Pickup Prime locations (there are two: one in SM Seaside Cebu and in Quezon City’s Vertis North). This year, they’re adding two more, in BGC and in Arca South. Pickup Prime is a larger format shop, which serves baked goods along with coffee, and has seating.

“Premium coffee should be accessible to everyone,” he said in a speech. — Joseph L. Garcia