The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf

International Coffee & Tea, LLC

File:Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf logo.svg
File:Coffee Bean Aeon Laketown Kaze 20150909.JPG The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf located in Saitama Prefecture, Japan
Trade name	The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf
Company type	Private
Industry	Restaurants Retail coffee and tea Franchising
Founded	Los Angeles (1963 (1963))
Founder	Herbert B. Hyman Mona Hyman
Headquarters	Los Angeles, California , United States
Number of locations	1,164 (as of 2023)
Area served	24 countries (as of 2023)
Key people	John In de Braekt (CEO)
Products	Coffee, tea, food
Revenue	Increase $500 million+ USD (January 2013)
Number of employees	12,000 (May 2013)
Parent	Jollibee Foods Corporation
Website	www.coffeebean.com

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is a U.S.-based coffeehouse chain established in 1963. Originally under the ownership of International Coffee & Tea, LLC headquartered in Los Angeles, it was purchased in 2019 by the Philippine multinational corporation Jollibee Foods Corporation for $350 million.

By 2023, the brand operated a total of 1,164 outlets spanning 24 nations.

History

The business was initiated by Herbert Hyman in 1963 as a coffee delivery service for offices before launching its first retail location in Brentwood, Los Angeles in 1968. Early innovations involved offering whole coffee beans with clear origin information and allowing customers to sample products. Herbert Hyman died in 2014.

During the 1970s, the company grew to encompass ten stores throughout Southern California and expanded its menu to include exotic teas. In 1987, an employee at the Westwood store invented the now-iconic Ice Blended beverage, which gained significant popularity and preceded Starbucks’ Frappuccino. Starbucks made an acquisition attempt in 1991 but was declined; ironically, Starbucks' growth contributed to increased customer visits for both brands.

In 1996, Victor and Sunny Sassoon from Singapore secured the franchise rights for Asia and quickly expanded throughout Southeast Asia. Two years later, in 1998, they acquired International Coffee & Tea LLC from the Hyman family and pursued worldwide expansion.

Victor Sassoon directed operations from Singapore while Sunny Sassoon held the positions of president and CEO between 1998 and 2009 before transitioning to executive chairman until 2019. Mel Elias took over as president and CEO in 2009. In 2013, Advent International, Mirae Asset Private Equity, and CDIB Capital acquired a substantial equity interest; however, the Sassoon family maintained majority ownership.

John Fuller served as president and CEO from 2015 until 2020.

In its most significant acquisition so far, Jollibee Foods Corporation purchased The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf in 2019 through subsidiaries Java Ventures LLC and Super Magnificent Coffee Company Pte. Ltd., with headquarters based in Singapore. After acquisition, store numbers decreased from 1,189 to 1,048 by 2021 but later climbed back to reach 1,164 locations by the year 2023.

Products

The company is recognized for its signature Original Ice Blended coffee and tea beverages, alongside a variety of hot coffee and both hot and iced teas. Its product range also includes whole bean coffees, loose leaf teas, flavored powders, and an assortment of baked treats.

Coffee

Coffee selections are divided into seven distinct categories: Light & Subtle, Light & Distinctive, Medium & Smooth, Dark & Distinctive, Decaffeinated, Flavored, and Reserve. The roasting process takes place at the Camarillo, California facility, where approximately seven million pounds of coffee are roasted annually. Coffee beans are procured from farms located in Costa Rica, Colombia, Kenya, Indonesia, Jamaica, Thailand, and Sri Lanka. Seasonal holiday offerings feature flavors such as candy cane, gingerbread, red velvet cake, eggnog, and peppermint. To celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2013, the company introduced the Birthday Cake Ice Blended beverage.

Tea

Tea varieties are organized into seven categories: Green, Black, Oolong, Herbal Infusion, Decaffeinated, Flavored, and Tea Master's. All tea blends are crafted by hand at the Camarillo facility. Since its introduction in 1998, the Chai Tea Latte has remained a customer favorite. In March 2014, the product lineup was enhanced with Tea Granita drinks available in Pear Berry and Passion Fruit flavors.

CBTL single-serve system

Debuting in 2010 across the United States as well as Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, and the Philippines, the CBTL single-serve system caters to consumers seeking convenient home beverage options. Utilizing capsules produced by Italian manufacturer Caffitaly, these machines prepare espresso, coffee, tea, and hot chocolate beverages—broadening the company’s offerings for at-home consumption.

Kosher and halal

All Coffee Bean coffees, teas, and beverage powders hold kosher certification; however, as of mid-2020, the company discontinued kosher certification for Southern California and Las Vegas stores to allow greater flexibility in product selection—a strategic decision accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Previously, company-operated locations in Southern California were certified under Kosher Supervision of America standards while franchised stores had the choice to participate.

On an international scale, every Coffee Bean store in Singapore and Malaysia maintains halal certification to meet local market requirements and support global operations within these important regions.

Locations

By 2023, Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf has established 1,164 outlets spanning 24 countries including Bahrain, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, South Korea, Sri Lanka, USA, and Vietnam.

Partnerships

On September 5, 2012, Coffee Bean collaborated with Nokia to introduce wireless charging stations within its U.S. cafés. In May 2013, Hilton Worldwide secured an exclusive contract with Coffee Bean to provide in-room coffee and tea services throughout Hilton hotels across the Americas.

In 2013 Green Mountain Coffee Roasters teamed up with Coffee Bean to develop K-Cup pods compatible with Keurig brewing systems for release in the U.S. by 2014. On August 24, 2015, Coffee Bean entered into an exclusive area development agreement with South Korea’s E-LAND to facilitate entry into the Chinese market.

In July 2020, a partnership was formed between Coffee Bean and fast-casual restaurant chain Smashburger to incorporate Coffee Bean products into Smashburger’s menu selections.

Controversies

In 2012, Roderick Smith initiated legal action in the Los Angeles Superior Court after uncovering a concealed surveillance camera inside a bathroom at a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf location in Encino, California. Upon reporting the device to store management, it was initially mistaken for a flash drive. The corporation confirmed its collaboration with law enforcement, which resulted in the apprehension of a suspect, but refrained from providing additional statements due to active legal proceedings.

In 2019, the company's Singapore outlet issued an apology following a promotional mishap related to SAF Day, where the featured artwork incorrectly showed a Chinese soldier rather than a representative of the Singapore Armed Forces.

See also

• List of coffeehouse chains