You’ve recently opened a branch in El Gouna. Why did you set your sights on Egypt and what has been the market response?
Café Younes already began its regional expansion with Black Coffee by Café Younes in Dubai. Egypt was the natural choice after Dubai, as it is the most populated country in the Middle East, and our market search and discussions with our partners reaffirmed our belief that the specialty coffee scene in Egypt is growing massively and swiftly. Egyptians have always been coffee lovers, but specialty coffee and the craftsmanship behind it are witnessing greater appreciation these days, especially among the younger generations.
Moreover, with the inception of Daily Dose by Cafe Younes, we took the conscious decision to fill the biggest gap, which is in El Gouna; it has now become an all-year destination that caters to foreigners and locals alike.
Are you considering any additional franchises?
Café Younes has grown from one coffee roaster in Lebanon in 1935 to a brand with 13 locations in three countries. It is already attracting potential investors that are specifically choosing Café Younes for its heritage, premium coffee and unique atmosphere that blends the authentic charm to the contemporary setting while vividly bringing back the memory of old Beirut. Europe’s specialty coffee shop franchise market is becoming sizeable. Whether in Germany, France, Portugal, Greece, the UK, Netherlands or untapped regions brimming with possibilities, Café Younes is seriously looking to export its franchise, highly scalable and unique concept to enable coffee aficionados to experience something completely new.
What can Café Younes’ clients in Lebanon and the UAE look forward to?
In Lebanon, we’ve recently launched our e-commerce platform, allowing customers the freedom to choose from more than 10 specialty coffees on three continents. The freshly roasted Costa Rica, Guatemala and Marjeiouni blends are a click away!
As for our plans in the Emirates, building on the success of our Black Coffee by Café Younes flagship store on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai and ensuing strong brand loyalty, we have decided to open a second store in the heart of Dubai’s Media City. The opening is planned in December 2022.
Rita Ghantous is a hospitality aficionado and a passionate writer with over 9 years’ experience in journalism and 5 years experience in the hospitality sector. Her passion for the performance arts and writing, started early. At 10 years old she was praised for her solo performance of the Beatles song “All My Love” accompanied by a guitarist, and was approached by a French talent scout during her school play. However, her love for writing was stronger. Fresh out of school, she became a freelance journalist for Noun Magazine and was awarded the Silver Award Cup for Outstanding Poetry, by The International Library of Poetry (Washington DC). She studied Business Management and earned a Masters degree from Saint Joseph University (USJ), her thesis was published in the Proche-Orient, Études en Management book. She then pursued a career in the hospitality industry but didn’t give up writing, that is why she launched the Four Points by Sheraton Le Verdun Newsletter. Her love for the industry and journalism led her to Hospitality Services - the organizers of the HORECA trade show in Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Jordan, as well as Salon Du Chocolat, Beirut Cooking Festival, Whisky Live and other regional shows. She is currently the Publications Executive of Hospitality News Middle East, Taste & Flavors and Lebanon Traveler. It is with ultimate devotion for her magazines that she demonstrates her hospitality savoir-faire.
