UCC’s Kohikan acquisition makes it third largest chain

12th June 2008

Roaster/retail chain Ueshima Coffee Co (UCC) at the end of May bought 89% of the equity of Tokyo-based coffee shop chain Kohikan for an undisclosed amount, local reports said.

The deal means that Kobe-based UCC moves up to third position in Japan’s coffee bar sector, in terms of the number of outlets, the reports said. UCC currently has about 300 coffee bars, while Kohikan operates about 350, mostly around Tokyo.

UCC is planning to increase the number of its shops to 1,000 in the near future, the reports added.