BUCHAREST, Romania – The Romanian brand 5 to go has advanced to 9th place in the European top of coffee shops for 2022, according to the annual ranking recently published by Food Service, Europe & Middle East, being the brand with the highest absolute growth in the number of locations in Europe.
5 to go gets the 9th place in the European top of coffee shops for 2022
This exceptional performance brings the Romanian brand an extremely valuable positioning, alongside the most important competitors in the coffee industry, with tradition and a remarkable presence worldwide, such as McCafé, Costa Coffee, and Starbucks, leaders of this top which includes no less than 80 renowned brands.
With the steady development of the franchise system, 5 to go has reached a total of 500 coffee shops opened locally, 84 of which will be opened in 2023 alone, and is already present with at least one location in 105 cities in Romania, thus covering 40% of the country.
Proximity remains one of the strategic pillars underpinning the brand’s development, along with the quality and diversity of the products, as well as the design and atmosphere of the coffee shops, which together ensure an optimal consumption experience.
5 to go brand continues its upward trend also this year and records the highest growth so far in terms of sales, market share in the segment of coffee shop chains in Romania and turnover, which exceeded 25 million euros in August 2023, 50% more than in 2022.
Radu Savopol, co-founder of 5 to go: “Since the launch of 5 to go we have aimed to become a benchmark for Romanian consumers, first of all. Then, through constant development and growing awareness, in the local and international coffee industry”.
Radu Savopol continues: “This positioning, after only 8 years on the market, and the fact that we are steadily advancing in the top of the European coffee chains, puts us where we want to be, on the list of strong brands, with a solid performance and a winning strategy, in line with current trends. In a fast-paced and competitive market, such a result is a testament to the versatility, commitment, engagement and passion of the entire team and each of the 270 entrepreneurs who share the 5 to go vision. We will continue to invest strategically in the development of the brand”.
5 to go accesses new markets internationally
In the coming period, 5 to go continues its expansion plans and is targeting new international markets.
Two new coffee shops will soon be opened in Hungary, bringing the total number of cafes open in the country to 4, and a branch is planned to open in Bratislava, Slovakia in early 2024, where the brand is starting an ambitious project of 50 locations over 4 years.
Lucian Bădilă, co-founder of 5 to go: “We continue to keep our radar on to detect new development opportunities and are adapting our approach and portfolio on an ongoing basis so that we achieve our set targets by exploring areas of potential”.
Lucian Bădilă, continues: “After a comprehensive analysis of the market and consumer behaviour, we are convinced that the 5 to go brand will be very well received in Slovakia, where we intend to attract and retain consumers from local communities by focusing on taste, quality, diversity, fair pricing and the relaxed atmosphere of the cafés, with which we want to be associated wherever we go”.
In the coming years, other international markets will also be tested and included in the brand’s global development map.
About 5 to go
5 to go was launched in 2015, and at the end of 2021 reached the threshold of 500 units, being the largest chain of coffee chains in Eastern Europe and the most accessed franchise in Romania. Radu Savopol and Lucian Bădilă are the founders of 5 to go, the ones who brought to the HoReCa market in Romania the innovative concept of a single price for all the products sold. Under the slogan “Smile, there’s coffee!”, the coffee chain offers consumers a warm and friendly space where coffee is the main actor.
The coffee used is one with an intense, full-bodied, creamy aroma, which is a unique blend, created especially for the 5 to go chain of cafes. Because the number 5 represents the structural element of the brand, the 5 to go team offers customers five main reasons to return to one of the coffee shops in the group: taste, professionalism, speed, diversity, and lifestyle.
