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MULTIMEDIA
May 26, 2012
 
 
 
 
 
 

Turkish coffee shops face international chains

13 July 2009 / BÜNYAMİN KÖSELİ , İSTANBUL
Recent years have seen an increase in the number of coffee shops in wealthy areas and shopping centers in Turkey.
 Young boys and girls walking down the street with a cup of coffee in their hands was an image we only saw on television in the past, but nowadays we can come across dozens of people sipping on cups of coffee while walking or driving.

Coffee shops are often packed full of customers. Popular chains are opening stores not only in major cities but also in Mersin, Adana, Aydın, Balıkesir, Gaziantep and other Anatolian cities. In the early 2000s, there were only a few coffee shop chains operating in Turkey, but now there are close to 20 brands, which together have some 300 stores. Coffee shops have a market of around $150 million in the country. Even McDonald's has its own brand name coffee, McCafé, and Nestle has rolled up its sleeves to open stores in every part of Turkey.

The interest the young generation has shown toward foreign chains such as Starbucks and Gloria Jean's Coffees has mobilized Turkish investors and triggered an increase in the number of stores selling coffee in shopping centers. Turkish chains such as Kahve Dünyası, Gönül Kahvesi, Café Crown Coffee and Chocolate, Kocatepe Kahve Evi and Bean and Cream are constantly opening new stores.

These figures reveal the intense competition in the market. Starbucks, which had 86 stores in Turkey in 2008, now sells coffee drinks at 120 locations. Gloria Jean's had 51 stores in 2008 but now has 60. Kahve Dünyası increased the number of its stores from 22 to 58, and Café Crown has increased its store numbers by 25 percent. These figures suggest that the financial crisis has not affected coffee shops.

Kahve Dünyası slightly ahead

The coffee shop market has seen an increase because youth in Turkey see coffee as an important drink and an alternative to tea. The spread of the culture of drinking coffee after lunch and the comfortable ambiance of shops selling coffee have attracted the youth's attention. You can sip coffee while surfing the Web or reading a book or a magazine. Different types of coffee flavored with various syrups are common at Starbucks and Gloria Jean's while Turkish coffee is popular at Kahve Dünyası and Gönül Kahvesi.

Kahve Dünyası on average sells 1,000 cups of Turkish coffee, mainly the choice of tourists, each day. The smell of coffee does not, however, dominate Kahve Dünyası, as is the case with Starbucks, but instead the smell is predominantly chocolate. Customers say the place looks more fun compared to Starbucks, but prices are similar. Kahve Dünyası's chocolate fountains, its clear view of the kitchen and brightly lit decorations make it more appealing than Starbucks' melancholic ambiance.

In an online survey, 200 people were asked which coffee chain they prefer. Forty-nine said Starbucks, and 59 said Kahve Dünyası.

Gönül Kahvesi, which first opened in İzmir, aims to increase its number of stores from the current 21 to at least 40 in the near future. The design of Gönül Kahvesi shops was inspired by Ottoman culture. Its most popular coffee drink is called “gönül harmanı,” which is a mixture of four different coffee seeds. Turkish coffee made with chocolate or mastic gum is also very popular. The company plans to open stores in Dubai, Azerbaijan and Germany in the near future.

 
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© Feza Gazetecilik A.Ş. 2007, Ahmet Taner Kışlalı Cad. No: 6, Bahçelievler - İstanbul 34194 Turkey, +90 (212) 454 1454, +90 (212) 454 1497(fax)