The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Franchise Costs, Fees & ROI

Brand overview

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is a premium global roaster and retailer of specialty coffee and tea beverages. Founded in Southern California, the brand is known for handcrafted, made-to-order beverages that are customized to each guest’s preferences and supported by a deep commitment to quality sourcing and customer experience.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf was founded in 1963 by Herb and Mona Hyman after the couple traveled through Europe and experienced high-quality specialty coffee. Inspired to bring the specialty coffeehouse concept to the United States, they opened the first café in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, which continues to operate today. Over the following decades, the brand expanded throughout Southern California and beyond, building its reputation around unique flavors, handcrafted beverages and personalized service.

Today, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is part of the Jollibee Group. Its Americas operations are supported from downtown Los Angeles, while its global headquarters are based in Singapore.

Purpose: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf helps people find their flavor with uplifting experiences that make their day better.

Vision: The brand’s goal is to consistently deliver simply the best coffee and tea experience In every community it serves.

• Mastery of both coffee and tea beverage products.

• Selects from the top 1% of Arabica coffee beans sourced from the world’s best growing regions.

• Works directly with private, family-owned tea estates to cultivate high-quality tea leaves.

• Offers one of the most extensive selections of sustainably sourced coffee and tea globally.

• Focuses on handcrafted, made-to-order beverages customized to each guest.

• The café format accommodates several prototypes, including drive-thru, inline and kiosk locations.

• Backed by more than 60 years of experience in the specialty coffee industry.

• Supported by an integrated supply chain with worldwide distribution capabilities.

• Access to exclusive and proprietary beverage, pastry and café meal recipes.

• Dedicated real estate and development team for site selection, design and construction.

• Ongoing operational guidance from a franchise business consultant.

• Marketing support with brand-approved collateral, resources and guidance.

Available territories include the markets in the Americas, with select opportunities available in Arizona, California and Nevada. For information on all available territories, fill out and submit an inquiry application on The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf franchise site.

Investment costs

Initial Costs: The estimated initial investment required to begin operation of a single franchise under The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf ranges from $883,500 to $1,468,000 for a traditional café, $554,000 to $945,000 for a traditional kiosk, $629,500 to $1,027,000 for a special distribution café and $531,500 to $968,000 for a special distribution kiosk. The 2026 Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) breaks these costs down as follows:

Traditional

Special Distribution (Non-Traditional)

Initial Franchise Fee: The initial franchise fee for a traditional or special distribution café is $25,000. If an area development agreement is signed, the initial development fee is $12,500 per café, with an additional initial franchise fee of $12,500 due when each location opens. The initial franchise fee for a traditional or special distribution kiosk is $15,000. These fees are payable upon signing the franchise agreement and/or area development agreement.

Qualifying U.S. military veterans are eligible for a $20,000 discount off the initial franchise fee for each café.

Ongoing Fees: According to the 2026 FDD, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf franchisees are responsible for the following ongoing payments and fees:

ROI Potential: According to the 2026 FDD, the 67 domestic franchised cafés open for the entirety of FY 2025 reported the following annual gross revenues for the year:

Franchise support

Franchisees receive support throughout café development, including market mapping, design and construction assistance from the brand’s Real Estate and Development team.

Training is delivered through franchise trainers and Learning & Development centers located in Los Angeles, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.

Franchisees are supported by a dedicated franchise business consultant who provides day-to-day operational guidance, along with ongoing support across operations, marketing and supply chain management.

The brand provides franchisees access to its integrated supply chain and proprietary systems that manage sourcing, product development and quality control from seed to cup.

• Liquid Assets: $250,000 per café
• Net Worth: $2 million

Franchisees should have a proven track record of successful multi-unit food or beverage operations. Experience in retail real estate development, construction and site selection is considered valuable.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf operates under a multi-unit, area development model. Traditional single-unit franchises are not offered, though non-traditional single-unit opportunities may be available for qualified franchisees. Franchise agreements typically include a multiple-unit development commitment over a defined time period based on geography and opportunity size.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf does not offer direct or indirect financing to franchisees.

Market trends

Coffee remains one of the strongest categories in foodservice, supported by consistent consumer demand and steady long-term growth. The U.S.

coffee and snack shop industry is expected to generate approximately $75.5 billion in revenue in 2026, while 66% of American adults drink coffee every day, underscoring the category's broad appeal. Consumer preferences also continue shifting toward premium offerings, with specialty coffee consumption reaching a 14-year high and the U.

S. specialty coffee market projected to grow at a 9.5% compound annual growth rate through 2030.

Together, those trends point to continued opportunities for coffee and café brands that can deliver quality, convenience and a differentiated customer experience.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf competes in the premium specialty coffee and tea segment alongside established brands such as Starbucks, 7 Brew, Peet’s Coffee, The Human Bean, Scooter’s Coffee, BIGGBY COFFEE, Dunkin’ and Tim Hortons.

The brand differentiates itself through its extensive tea offerings, top-tier coffee sourcing standards and customizable handcrafted beverages, supported by a long operating history and a global café footprint across multiple formats and markets.

1. Pre-Application: Prospective franchisees submit an initial inquiry, connect with the franchise sales team and receive the FDD to begin exploring the opportunity.
2. Application: Candidates complete a formal application that is reviewed by the brand, including background checks and preliminary screening.
3. Interview and Evaluation: The CBTL team conducts an in-depth interview while reviewing financial qualifications such as proof of assets and credit history.
4. Develop Business Plan: CBTL and the candidate define the scope of development while the franchisee conducts due diligence and builds a detailed business plan.
5. Review of Business Plan: The business plan is presented to the franchise team, followed by Discovery Day in California and final capitalization and legal reviews.
6. Execute Agreement: Once approved, the franchisee signs the franchise agreement or area development agreement and is officially awarded the franchise.
7. Grand Opening: CBTL supports site selection, construction, training and launch activities leading up to the opening of the café.

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Franchise Opportunity Deep Dive: The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is a premium specialty coffee and tea café brand known for handcrafted, made-to-order beverages and global reach.