The global food and beverage industry continues to evolve as consumers explore new coffee experiences, specialty teas and café concepts. From Italian espresso culture and Vietnamese bubble tea to locally driven café formats, brands are finding opportunities to connect with customers across different markets.

Franchising is playing an important role in this expansion. It allows brands to work with local partners, adapt their offerings to regional preferences and build a presence in new territories. In this article, we look at five food and beverage brands with distinctive concepts and different approaches to growth: Segafredo Zanetti, HappiTea, The Coffee Shop Company, Coffee Buddy and Stellarossa.

1. Segafredo Zanetti: Taking Italian Espresso Culture Worldwide

Originating in Italy, Segafredo Zanetti has built its identity around traditional Italian espresso and coffee culture. Founded by Massimo Zanetti in 1973, the brand is part of the Massimo Zanetti Beverage Group, an international coffee business involved in sourcing, roasting, production and distribution.

Segafredo’s reach extends beyond packaged coffee. Its business serves cafés, restaurants, hotels and other foodservice operators, while its espresso café concept brings the Italian coffee experience directly to consumers. The group’s international operations and distribution network give the brand a presence across multiple markets.

Its approach combines coffee expertise with a broad range of business channels. Alongside its retail products, the company supports foodservice customers with coffee solutions and equipment, helping businesses create consistent coffee experiences.

Expansion perspective: Segafredo Zanetti demonstrates how a food and beverage brand can build international recognition through a combination of product distribution, foodservice partnerships and café operations.

2. HappiTea: Bringing Vietnamese Tea and Bubble Tea to New Markets

HappiTea is the international brand name used by Vietnam-based Phúc Tea. The business began in 2017 with a small tea cart in Vietnam and developed into a beverage chain offering milk tea, fruit tea, Vietnamese coffee and other specialty drinks.

Its menu includes bubble tea, matcha-based beverages, cheese foam drinks and fruit-led refreshments. The brand combines Vietnamese tea and coffee influences with contemporary beverage trends that appeal to younger consumers.

HappiTea’s international growth is being driven through master franchise partnerships. According to the brand’s international franchise information, it has expanded beyond Vietnam into markets including India and the Philippines. Its India expansion is also being developed through local franchise partnerships.

The concept offers different beverage categories within one brand, giving it the flexibility to serve customers looking for traditional tea-based drinks as well as newer specialty beverages.

Expansion perspective: HappiTea illustrates how a regional beverage concept can use master franchising to enter new countries while introducing its menu to consumers with different tastes and preferences.

3. The Coffee Shop Company: Taking Vienna-Inspired Café Culture Global

The Coffee Shop Company, also known as Coffeeshop Company, is an Austrian café brand associated with Vienna’s coffee culture. Its concept brings together coffee, hot and cold beverages, snacks and sweets in a contemporary café environment.

The brand operates through a franchise system and offers partners access to its products, services, operating knowledge and technology. Its international network is represented in nine countries, with approximately 100 shops, according to its official website.

The café format is designed around more than coffee alone. A selection of beverages, snacks and sweets helps create an all-day café experience, while the franchise model provides a structure for partners entering the business.

Expansion perspective: The Coffee Shop Company shows how a café brand can take its home-market identity into international markets through a standardised franchise system and a menu suited to everyday consumption.

4. Coffee Buddy: A Filipino Coffee Brand Beginning Its International Journey

Coffee Buddy is a Filipino coffee brand that has grown from its early coffee-selling operations into a café and franchise business. Its offering includes handcrafted coffee beverages, coffee beans, ground coffee and internationally inspired drink creations.

The brand’s official company history records the development of its branch network in the Philippines and its move towards international expansion. In 2026, Coffee Buddy announced that it had secured a master franchise in India. It subsequently reported opening its first international outlet in Mumbai in August 2026, followed by another outlet in Bengaluru in October 2026.

Its Cups of the World range brings together coffee flavours inspired by different cultures, giving the brand an opportunity to introduce varied beverage experiences while retaining its Filipino identity.

Expansion perspective: Coffee Buddy represents an emerging international franchise story. Its entry into India through a master franchise arrangement highlights how home-grown café brands can use local partners to establish operations in new markets.

5. Stellarossa: An Australian Café Concept Built Around Local Communities

Stellarossa is an Australian café brand that began in Brisbane in 2009. Its concept focuses on specialty coffee, freshly prepared meals and a welcoming neighbourhood café experience.

The brand operates through locally owned and managed cafés, including drive-through formats. Its franchise model combines central business systems with flexibility for individual partners to adapt menus, local sourcing and café experiences to their communities.

Stellarossa’s official website describes a network of locally owned venues across Australia and actively invites new franchise partners to explore available opportunities. The brand’s focus on café and drive-through formats gives it more than one way to serve customers, depending on the location and market.

Its approach places emphasis on coffee quality, fresh food, local engagement and the role of individual franchise partners in shaping each outlet’s customer experience.

Expansion perspective: Stellarossa has established its café network in Australia and continues to seek franchise partners there. Its current public-facing franchise information is centred on Australian growth; a confirmed international rollout was not identified in the available official information. It is therefore better viewed as an established regional franchise concept with potential for future market development rather than as a brand with a verified global footprint.

What Makes These Food and Beverage Concepts Relevant to International Markets?

These five brands operate in different parts of the food and beverage industry, but their business models highlight several themes shaping international expansion.

1. Distinctive Beverage Experiences

Consumers are exploring more than conventional coffee and tea. Bubble tea, Vietnamese coffee, specialty espresso and fruit-based beverages give brands opportunities to develop recognisable menus and attract different customer groups.

2. Flexible Café and Store Formats

Brands such as Stellarossa demonstrate the use of different café formats, including drive-through outlets. Beverage-led concepts can also explore compact stores and kiosks, depending on the market and operating requirements.

3. Local Franchise Partnerships

Entering a new country requires an understanding of local customer preferences, regulations, suppliers and real estate. Master franchise and area development partnerships can help brands work with operators who understand these market conditions.

4. Menu Adaptation and Local Relevance

A brand’s core identity can remain consistent while selected menu items, ingredients and service formats are adapted to local preferences. This balance can help international concepts connect with customers without losing their original positioning.

5. Multiple Revenue Channels

Coffee and beverage brands may serve customers through cafés, packaged products, foodservice supply, takeaway and delivery. The right combination depends on the brand’s capabilities and the requirements of each market.

Conclusion

Segafredo Zanetti, HappiTea, The Coffee Shop Company, Coffee Buddy and Stellarossa represent different approaches to building food and beverage businesses. From Segafredo’s established international coffee operations to HappiTea’s master franchise-led expansion and Coffee Buddy’s recent entry into India, each brand offers a distinct example of how beverage concepts can develop across markets.

The five brands are also at different stages of international development. While some already operate across multiple countries, others are building their presence through new franchise partnerships or remain focused on their home markets. For prospective franchise partners, understanding this difference is important before evaluating a brand or territory.

As consumer interest in specialty coffee, tea and café experiences continues to evolve, international expansion will depend on more than brand recognition. A clear operating model, suitable local partners, product consistency and the ability to adapt to regional markets will remain important factors.

FAQs About International Food & Beverage Brands

1. Which international food and beverage brands are featured in this article?

The article features Segafredo Zanetti, HappiTea, The Coffee Shop Company, Coffee Buddy and Stellarossa.

2. Which of these brands have an established international presence?

Segafredo Zanetti and The Coffee Shop Company have established international networks. HappiTea has expanded beyond Vietnam into markets including India and the Philippines. Coffee Buddy has begun its international journey with India, while Stellarossa’s published franchise network is primarily based in Australia.

3. What is a master franchise?

A master franchise gives a local partner the rights to develop a brand within an agreed country or territory. Depending on the agreement, the partner may also recruit franchisees and support local operations.

4. Why do café and beverage brands expand through franchising?

Franchising can help brands work with local business partners who understand the market, customer preferences, property landscape and operating environment. It can also support expansion without requiring the brand to own and manage every outlet directly.

5. What should investors evaluate before choosing an international food and beverage franchise?

Investors should assess the brand’s operating history, franchise agreement, investment requirements, territory rights, supply chain, training, marketing support, local demand and regulatory requirements. They should also confirm whether franchise rights are currently available in their preferred market.