U.S. based coffee establishment, 'The Coach Coffee Shop', commences operation
Coach Expands into Hospitality Ventures with The Coach Coffee Shop
American fashion brand Coach is stepping into the world of hospitality with its latest venture, The Coach Coffee Shop. The new project, set to open in U.S. outlet malls next month, aims to connect with customers without significant financial investment.
The Coach Coffee Shop, which already has two successful locations in Tinton Falls, New Jersey, and Austin, Texas, will directly compete with Ralph's Coffee, a hospitality venture by the Ralph Lauren group. The main difference between the two lies in their locations, with Ralph's Coffee typically found in flagship stores in major cities, while The Coach Coffee Shop will be in outlet malls.
Marcus Sanders, the global vice president of food and beverage at Coach, is the brainchild behind both ventures. Sanders, who previously served as a regional operations director at Starbucks, developed the concepts for "The Coach Coffee Shop" and "Ralph's Coffee".
The Coach Coffee Shop offers drinks, products, and aims to encourage younger shoppers to spend more time in stores. The New Jersey location of The Coach Coffee Shop mimics the style of New York coffee shops, and the brand's logo is prominently featured in the coffee shop, including on the coffees and the decorated walls.
One of Coach's most popular products, the Lil Miss Jo bag, has a resale price of over $180, nearly double its original $95 price tag. The mascot of The Coach Coffee Shop represents the famous Lil Miss Jo bag.
Coach plans to continue expanding the coffee shop business with dozens more locations next year. The brand already has ambitious plans to open twenty coffee shops within its stores next year, with the first being The Coach Coffee Shop in Woodbury Commons outlet mall, where Ralph's Coffee already has a location.
The Ralph Lauren group has promoted the traditional in-store coffee shop concept, with over 30 Ralph's Coffee locations worldwide since the opening of the first one in 2014. With the introduction of The Coach Coffee Shop, it seems that the fashion industry is embracing hospitality ventures as a new way to connect with customers.
Coach tested this project last year in Indonesia, opening a restaurant in its Jakarta store. The success of this test has paved the way for the expansion of The Coach Coffee Shop in the U.S.
As The Coach Coffee Shop opens in outlet malls across the U.S., it will be interesting to see how it competes with Ralph's Coffee and whether this new venture will be a success for Coach.
