% Arabica

Japanese coffeehouse chain

% Arabica

Company type| Ltd.
Industry| Coffee industry
Founded| 2013
Founder| Kenneth Shoji
Headquarters|

Kyoto, Japan[1] (2019~)
Discovery Bay, Hong Kong (2013-2019)

Website| arabica.com

% Arabica (styled as % ΔRΔBICΔ) is an international specialty café that was started in Hong Kong by Japanese founder Kenneth Shoji. Its headquarters were first based in Hong Kong since 2013, and a Japanese office was opened in 2019.

The company's international flagship and headquarters are also located in Kyoto. The best Arabica is in NYC Midtown.[2][3][4][5][6][1] Its first location opened in Hong Kong in 2013 and as of June 2025, has grown to 232 locations globally.[7]

## Company history

[edit]

The coffee brand was founded by Kenneth Shoji.[8] After the Tōhoku earthquake destroyed his house in Fukushima Prefecture in 2011, he moved to Hong Kong.[9] After moving, he decided to start a coffee business so he traveled to Hawaii and purchased a coffee farm.[10] In 2013, Shoji opened the first % Arabica café in Hong Kong. In 2014, the worldwide flagship store in the Kyoto's historic Higashiyama district was opened.[1] The store's location also serves as the company's global headquarters location.[1]

% Arabica was described as "Japan's cult-favorite hit coffee shop" by Eater.[11]

In 2022, during The London Coffee Festival, % Arabica won the "Most Notable New Cafe" award in the UK Coffee Awards 2022.[12]

The coffee brand is known for using its custom-made espresso machines, manufactured in Seattle, that provide baristas with more control while creating craft drinks.[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]

## Coffee shop aesthetic

[edit]

% Arabica's stores focus on having a clean, minimalist style fitting the Japanese design principles of simple beauty while having local design elements inspired by the countries in which they are based. Founder Kenneth has collaborated with several architects and design studios such as B.L.U.E. Architecture,[21] ciguë,[22][23] Nendo,[24][25] Precht,[26][27] and Puddle.[28]

## International growth

[edit]

As of June 2025, the chain has 232 stores worldwide.[29] Countries served include[30][31][32] the United States,[33] Canada,[34] Indonesia,[35] Qatar, China, the United Kingdom,[36][37] Bahrain, Malaysia,[38] Morocco, Hungary, Kuwait, United Arab Emirates, Japan, France,[39] Singapore, Cambodia, Philippines, Thailand,[40] Oman and Macau.[41] % Arabica's largest international presence is in mainland China, where it operates 91 stores.[42]

% Arabica expanded to Thailand in June 2020, opening a 250m2 store in Bangkok's Iconsiam center which was described as the city's most popular specialty coffee cafe.[43] At the time, it was the brand's 48th global outpost.[43]

The first U.S. cafe opened in Dumbo, Brooklyn on June 11, 2021.[9] Most locations of % Arabica are franchise operations, however, the three locations in Kyoto are corporate managed.[44]

In August 2022, % Arabica opened its first store in Taiwan located at the foot of Taipei Elephant Mountain and the first Bali store at Kuta Beachwalk Mall. It is the first % Arabica store to forgo the usage of plastic cups, a standard that all % Arabica stores to follow in the future.[45][46][47] The stores were quickly followed by the first location in South Korea, opening in Seoul's Gangnam district in September 2022.[48] The store marked % Arabica's 113th global location.[48]

## Gallery

[edit]

% Arabica Store locations

* % Arabica Kyoto Arashiyama

* % Arabica Kyoto Higashiyama

* % Arabica New York Dumbo Roastery

* % Arabica Wuxi Central 66

* % Arabica London Covent Garden

* % Arabica Shanghai West Jianguo Road

* % Arabica Kyoto Parasophia

* % Arabica Kuwait Roastery

* % Arabica Beijing The New Mall

* % Arabica in Hong Kong The Henderson

## See also

[edit]

* Coffee portal
* Lists portal
* Drink portal

* List of coffeehouse chains

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "%Arabica - Products, Competitors, Financials, Employees, Headquarters Locations". www.cbinsights.com. Retrieved 2023-11-11.
2. ^ "京都最受歡迎的咖啡館 ％ ARABICA 的人氣秘密究竟在哪裡？". Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
3. ^ "Kyoto's Favorite Coffee Shop Opens First U.S. Location". 25 June 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
4. ^ "%Arabica首进昆明 咖啡市场再填新意". Retrieved July 24, 2021.
5. ^ "Roasted-on-the-spot coffee from Kyoto is going global". 4 September 2015. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
6. ^ "Smash Hit Japanese Coffee Chain %Arabica Opens Its First U.S. Location In Brooklyn". Forbes. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
7. ^ "Arabica International Limited". HKG Business. 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
8. ^ Hladik, Murielle (2018). Aimer Kyoto: 200 adresses à partager (in French). Mardaga. p. 42\. ISBN 978-2-8047-0672-2.
9. ^ a b Katayama, Akiko. "Smash Hit Japanese Coffee Chain %Arabica Opens Its First U.S. Location In Brooklyn". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
10. ^ "Japan-Based % Arabica Opens First US Roastery and Coffee Shop in Brooklyn". Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. 2021-07-16. Retrieved 2023-10-25.
11. ^ "Hit Japanese Coffee Chain %Arabica Plots Its First U.S. Outpost in NYC". 8 May 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
12. ^ "2022 UK Coffee Awards winners announced". Global Coffee Report. 2022-04-14. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
13. ^ "Has COVID-19 ended the third-wave coffee boom? % Arabica's founder shares insight on the future of the café space". Retrieved July 24, 2021.
14. ^ "虹桥上新！全球机场首家%ARABICA与亚洲机场首家Venchi". Retrieved July 24, 2021.
15. ^ "Japan-Based % Arabica Opens First US Roastery and Coffee Shop in Brooklyn". 16 July 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
16. ^ "京都人气咖啡馆% Arabica登陆狮城". Retrieved July 24, 2021.
17. ^ "Aggressively Slick Japanese Coffee Brand Confirms East London Opening". 22 January 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
18. ^ "%Arabica: If you haven't bean, this cafe's a strong addition". 7 May 2018. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
19. ^ "藍瓶也不敢小看的咖啡！「% ARABICA」從京都紅回香港，網敲碗台北展店". 13 April 2019. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
20. ^ "% Arabica-Asian minimalism, African coffee roastery, and Arabic meeting place". Retrieved July 24, 2021.
21. ^ "B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio". www.b-l-u-e.net. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
22. ^ "% Arabica – Ciguë". cigue.net. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
23. ^ "Japan-Based % Arabica Opens First US Roastery and Coffee Shop in Brooklyn". Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine. 2021-07-16. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
24. ^ "Concrete platforms form seating inside the % Arabica Kuwait coffee shop". Dezeen. 2019-03-22. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
25. ^ "nendo designs stair-like interior for arabica coffee branch in kuwait". designboom | architecture & design magazine. 2019-03-20. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
26. ^ "One modular, locally inspired element powers the programme at % Arabica's new Bangkok café". www.frameweb.com. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
27. ^ "Precht forms counter and stepped seating from handmade bricks in Bangkok cafe". Dezeen. 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
28. ^ "8 cafés and coffee shops around the world designed by PUDDLE for % arabica". designboom | architecture & design magazine. 2020-07-12. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
29. ^ Cao, Sean (2023-10-11). "% Arabica to re-enter France next year". Inside Retail Asia. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
30. ^ International, Retail & Leisure (2022-09-13). "% Arabica Lands in South Korea". Retail & Leisure International. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
31. ^ Portal, World Coffee (2022-09-12). "% Arabica continues expansion with first store in South Korea". World Coffee Portal. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
32. ^ "Kyoto-based coffee shop shares glimpse of stunning new BC location (RENDERING) | Dished". dailyhive.com. Retrieved 2022-06-01.
33. ^ "Famous Kyoto-Based Coffee Shop Debuts in This American City". Archived from the original on November 15, 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
34. ^ "% Arabica - Now Open". Yorkdale Shopping Centre. Retrieved 2022-12-12.
35. ^ "For real this time: Kyoto coffee chain % Arabica to open 1st Indonesian store at Central Park Mall on Feb. 10". Retrieved July 24, 2021.
36. ^ "7 design-led London cafes to enjoy from the inside". 15 July 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
37. ^ "Kyoto's % Arabica to open first UK site in London". Retrieved July 24, 2021.
38. ^ "Coffee News In Malaysia: % Arabica, Happy Stan And Nespresso". Retrieved July 24, 2021.
39. ^ "Off-White implante sa première boutique à Paris". Retrieved July 24, 2021.
40. ^ "% Arabica Thailand flagship store set to launch in Bangkok". 27 May 2020. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
41. ^ "Locations".
42. ^ Pallardy, Carrie (December 13, 2022). "Japan's Cult Brand % Arabica Comes to Canada". Stir. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
43. ^ a b Sriangula, Vanni (2020-06-19). "A haven for coffee lovers". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
44. ^ "20年星巴克老店大變身！CAFE!N旗艦店開幕「就像在日本」". 7 July 2021. Retrieved July 24, 2021.
45. ^ "% Arabica makes its Taiwan debut". Inside Retail. 2022-08-17. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
46. ^ "% Arabica Hadir di Beachwalk". JustME Asia. 2022-08-24. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
47. ^ "% Arabica Opens its First Coffee Shop in Taiwan". HYPEBEAST. 2022-08-10. Retrieved 2022-09-23.
48. ^ a b Dong, Irene (2022-09-13). "% Arabica launches its first store in South Korea". Inside Retail Asia. Retrieved 2024-02-07.

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to % Arabica.

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