Pickup Coffee eyes Philippines top chain

Pickup Coffee said this week it is targeting 750 to 800 company-owned stores in the Philippines by the end of 2026, building on a network that has already passed 500 outlets. World Coffee Portal reported on May 14 that the Makati-based chain had overtaken an international rival by outlet count and was now aiming for the top spot in the country’s branded coffee market. Philippine media reports published May 13 and May 14 said the company currently operates about 500 to 530 branches nationwide. The chain, founded in 2022, has paired rapid rollout with a small-format model and drinks priced from P50, according to company statements and World Coffee Portal. ### How big is Pickup Coffee now? Pickup Coffee’s own website says it has “over 500 stores nationwide,” alongside 40 million cups sold and 200,000 monthly active app users. Philippine News Agency reported on May 13 that the chain had around 500 coffee kiosks in the country, mostly in Metro Manila, while the Philippine Star and BusinessWorld each put the current branch count at 530. (worldcoffeeportal.com) World Coffee Portal said the company reached 500 stores in the first quarter of 2026. The trade publication said that milestone put Pickup Coffee ahead of a “key international competitor” by outlet count in the Philippines. ### Which rival did it pass? World Coffee Portal’s report points to Starbucks as the international chain Pickup Coffee has moved ahead of in outlet count. (pickup-coffee.com) Starbucks Philippines’ store locator shows hundreds of locations across Metro Manila and other cities, though the page viewed by Reuters-style reporting here did not display a single aggregate total. (worldcoffeeportal.com) The more concrete figure available in public reporting is Pickup Coffee’s own count. At 530 branches, as cited by the Philippine Star and BusinessWorld, Pickup Coffee has established a scale that local executives are now using as the benchmark for further expansion. ### What is the company opening next? Rami Chahwan, Pickup Coffee Philippines president and country chief executive, told reporters the company wants 750 to 800 company-owned stores within 2026. (worldcoffeeportal.com) He said the chain had previously been opening 20 to 25 locations a month and is now moderating that pace to about 15 to 20. (qa.philstar.com) Diego Lorenzo, Pickup Coffee chief executive and co-founder, told Philippine News Agency that the company plans to open as many as 200 more company-owned stores nationwide this year, with a focus on Northern Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao. That report also said Pickup Coffee has about 100 stores in Mexico City. ### Why is franchising part of the push now? Pickup Coffee opened franchising this week after piloting 10 franchise stores over the last three months, Chahwan told Philippine News Agency. (qa.philstar.com) He said franchising would complement the company’s existing branch network rather than replace company-owned growth. Francis Flores, Pickup Coffee global managing director, told the Philippine Star that franchise investment ranges from P1.7 million for smaller kiosks to P3 million to P4 million for larger café formats. (pna.gov.ph) BusinessWorld reported that the company wants franchise-owned stores to remain below 20% to 25% of the network, while franchising head Hazel Hernandez-Francisco said the expected payback period is 18 to 24 months. ### How is Pickup Coffee positioning itself in the market? World Coffee Portal said Pickup Coffee has attracted price-conscious consumers with espresso-based drinks starting at P50 and with small-format sites in shopping centers and business districts. Chahwan told the Philippine Star the company has no plans to raise prices, arguing its smaller footprint and lower operating costs help shield it from some input pressures. (qa.philstar.com) Lorenzo told Philippine News Agency that broader accessibility is central to the rollout. “The more accessible you are, the faster you will grow,” he said. ### What are the next milestones to watch? By the end of 2026, Pickup Coffee says it wants 750 to 800 company-owned stores in the Philippines and about 100 stores in Mexico, according to executives cited by the Philippine Star, BusinessWorld and Philippine News Agency. (worldcoffeeportal.com) World Coffee Portal said the company’s stated objective is to become the Philippines’ largest branded coffee chain by year-end. (qa.philstar.com) (pna.gov.ph)