Romania's 5 to go coffee shop chain targets Southeastern European market

With the investment fund Accession Capital Partners and the private equity fund Invenio Partners as majority shareholders since the end of 2024, the Romanian coffee chop chain 5 to go targets the Southeastern European market, according to Profit.ro and Economica.net. The chain announced it already entered the Bulgarian market.

The Romanian company entered the Bulgarian retail market through a strategic partnership with Minimart, a local chain of convenience stores that currently has approximately 200 points of sale and ambitious expansion goals.

"Accessing the Bulgarian retail market through the partnership with Minimart opens a new chapter in 5 to go's regional expansion strategy and strengthens the brand's positioning in Southeastern Europe. We are targeting a significant evolution of the retail segment in the coming years, both domestically and internationally, relying on the advantage of a varied product portfolio, which has quickly reached the top of consumer preferences in Romania and which, at the same time, corresponds to consumption patterns in Bulgaria and the specifics of Minimart," said Dumitru Iliescu, managing director of retail 5 to go.

5 to go already operates two cafes in Bulgaria, in Ruse, and will soon launch the franchise concept in this market to facilitate reaching the target of 150 cafes opened within a few years.

5 to go was born in 2015 and has now exceeded the threshold of 600 open units, being the largest coffee shop chain in Eastern Europe but also the most accessed franchise in Romania. The company was founded by Radu Savopol and Lucian Bădilă, who brought to the Romanian HoReCa market the concept of a single price for all products sold.

(Photo source: the company)