The Ranking
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has landed at No. 111 on the 2026 Franchise Times Top 400, the annual ranking of the largest U.S.-based franchise systems by global systemwide sales. The placement underscores the brand's scale — more than 1,100 cafés operating across 27 countries — and signals continued appetite for franchise-driven buildouts in the specialty coffee and tea segment.
For equipment dealers and kitchen consultants, the ranking is a useful signal: a brand expanding at this pace across multiple continents means a steady pipeline of new café builds, equipment fleet refreshes, and format-specific fitouts. The coffee and tea franchise category has seen significant growth in recent years, with operators investing in beverage equipment, cold-brew and blended-drink platforms, and compact back-of-house configurations suited to high-volume, limited-footprint locations.
Format Flexibility Drives Buildouts
The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf's franchise development strategy centers on format flexibility — a detail with direct implications for specifiers and dealers supporting new-unit growth. Franchisees can choose from traditional inline locations, endcaps, drive-thrus, and kiosks, each carrying distinct equipment packages. Drive-thru and kiosk formats in particular demand compact, high-throughput beverage equipment, including blenders capable of handling signature Ice Blended® drink volume, espresso platforms, and refrigeration suited to grab-and-go cold case configurations.
"The coffee and tea category is evolving and the expectations of today's consumers are evolving alongside it," said Peter Vavra, director of franchise development. "Our focus is on giving franchisees the flexibility, resources and support they need to meet those expectations while maintaining the quality and hospitality that have defined The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® for decades."
For operators and their equipment specifiers, multi-format expansion programs like this one typically require modular kitchen designs that can be adapted across real estate types without wholesale equipment changes — a trend driving interest in compact cooking and beverage equipment that scales across store formats.
Operator Expansion Context
Founded in Southern California in 1963 and now headquartered in Asia as part of the Jollibee Group of Companies, the brand spans the Americas, Middle East, Indian Subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. That geographic spread means franchise buildouts must accommodate varying utility infrastructure, local health codes, and energy standards — all considerations that equipment consultants navigating international projects know well.
The broader specialty coffee segment continues to draw investment, with franchisors and independent operators alike upgrading beverage stations, cold-chain storage, and ice and beverage equipment to keep pace with consumer demand for customized, premium drinks. The Franchise Times Top 400 ranking, compiled primarily on global systemwide sales, reflects the commercial momentum behind that investment.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
