. This entrepreneurial business started developing in Bucharest and in the big cities a decade ago, but the number of independent cafés has been rising steadily year by year to about 50 at the moment, according to Euromonitor data.
The analysts of the market research company estimate the market started developing in 2011-2012 and the number of such coffee shops has since gone up. The trend will continue so there will be 72 independent cafés by 2022. The figures are valid only for such places like Steam, Origo and Bob Coffee Lab, which are not part of a chain like 5 to go or Ted’s, which number tens or even hundreds of coffee shops. Such small businesses are usually standalone, and the first entrepreneurial bet of young Romanians who are passionate about coffee. That is because they rely on the concept of specialty coffee brought from various parts of the world (from Kenya to Guatemala and Brazil) and some entrepreneurs are even roasting the coffee themselves, so prices are higher. Such businesses have mostly developed in Bucharest and the big cities.
“Cafés and bars remain the main bet for young entrepreneurs who want to start their own business, and the main avenues for development are specialty cafés and teahouses,” Euromonitor analysts say.
Such cafés are one of the avenues for development of the market, but they account for a small percentage of the total revenue of the industry, about 1% or RON20 million in all. Market leader means US-held Starbucks with almost 50 cafés in Romania, which has announced plans to continue expansion to at least 75.
Euromonitor officials expect international chains to preserve the lead by number of coffee shops, although the specialty café market will develop, too.(EUR1=RON4.7584)
(English version by Loredana Fratila-Cristescu)