Ex-Starbucks leaders say the runway is massive for tech-enabled specialty coffee growth
NEW YORK, June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Roasting Plant Coffee, the pioneer of in-store roasting automation and the Just-Roasted specialty coffee experience, today announced a major new phase of international growth, building on recent U.S. expansion and a newly signed licensing agreement in Singapore.
The strategy comes eighteen months after the appointment of CEO Doug Satzman, whose extensive leadership experience includes senior executive roles at Starbucks in the United States and as head of Starbucks EMEA Licensing.
Leveraging this global operational and licensing expertise, Roasting Plant is pursuing an international licensing strategy focused on experienced regional partners capable of scaling the concept in major markets around the world. The initiative has already begun with a new agreement in Singapore that provides for the development of up to 50 Roasting Plant stores over the next decade.
Roasting Plant Coffee has created a highly differentiated specialty coffee platform that combines proprietary Javabot automation, in-store roasting and brewed-to-order coffee to deliver exceptional freshness, customer experience and store-level economics. The system roasts premium specialty coffee in every café and brews each cup to order in less than a minute, creating a uniquely personalized coffee experience that customers can see, hear and smell.
"Our retail success in the U.S. and UK, combined with our vertically integrated business model, including the design, development and manufacturing of our proprietary Javabot system, have put us in a unique position for scalable growth around the world," said Doug Satzman, CEO of Roasting Plant Coffee.
"The runway is massive in front of us, and I can see Roasting Plant cafés in shopping centers, airports, universities, high streets and other high-traffic destinations across many major markets in the near future."
"At a time when consumers increasingly value freshness, quality, experience and consistency, Roasting Plant offers something fundamentally different. Our customers can see, hear and smell the coffee roasting process before enjoying a custom-brewed cup made from any single-origin bean or blend in less than a minute."
The company's growth strategy is already taking shape across multiple regions:
- United States: Recent openings in Aventura, Florida and Chicago, Illinois with The Fresh Market demonstrate continued expansion of Roasting Plant's immersive, technology-enabled coffee experience in high-traffic retail environments.
- Asia: Roasting Plant recently signed its first new international licensing agreement in Singapore, marking the brand's entry into Asia and creating a platform for future growth opportunities throughout the region.
- United Kingdom: Roasting Plant is seeking an experienced food and beverage operating partner to accelerate growth throughout London and the UK. The company currently operates five established and profitable Central London roastery-cafés in premium locations.
- Middle East: The company continues to advance discussions with experienced regional operators interested in bringing the Just-Roasted coffee experience to the region.
Additional expansion opportunities are being explored across Asia, the Middle East and other international markets as the company seeks to partner with experienced operators capable of scaling the Roasting Plant concept while maintaining its commitment to quality, innovation and customer experience.
Co-founder and Chief Innovation Officer Mike Caswell, former Director of Profit Improvement at Starbucks, said the company's technology platform was designed to solve one of specialty coffee's most persistent challenges.
"We built Roasting Plant to deliver an exceptional customer experience while maintaining strong store economics. Our proprietary Javabot technology enables an artisanal coffee experience at scale, creating value for customers, operators and employees alike."
ABOUT ROASTING PLANT COFFEE
Roasting Plant Coffee is on a mission to become the world's top choice for Just-Roasted specialty coffee. Its proprietary Javabot system combines in-store roasting with brewed-to-order coffee, delivering exceptional freshness, flavor and aroma in every cup.
Unlike most coffee served weeks or months after roasting, Roasting Plant roasts specialty beans in-store daily and brews each cup to order in under a minute. The company operates 14 roastery-cafés across the United States and United Kingdom and offers freshly roasted whole bean coffee online and in-store for home and office enjoyment.
Lynn Irungu, Roastingplant@sunnysideupcomms.co.uk
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a4a6e814-7f69-476b-a1f0-63901a79b9f0
