% Arabica , also known as % ΔRΔBICΔ , is an international Japanese specialty [ 2 ] [ 3 ] coffee chain brand based in Kyoto, Japan . The company's international flagship and headquarters are located in Kyoto. Its first location opened in Hong Kong in 2013 and, as of June 2025, has grown to 242 locations globally. [ 4 ] Company history The coffee brand was founded by Kenneth Shoji. [ 5 ] After the Tōhoku earthquake destroyed his house in Fukushima Prefecture in 2011, he moved to Hong Kong . [ 6 ] After moving, he decided to start a coffee business so he traveled to Hawaii and purchased a coffee farm . [ 7 ] In 2013, Shoji opened the first % Arabica café in Hong Kong. In 2014, the worldwide flagship store in the Kyoto 's historic Higashiyama district was opened. [ 1 ] The store's location also serves as the company's global headquarters location. [ 1 ] % Arabica was described as "Japan's cult-favorite hit coffee shop" by Eater . [ 8 ] In 2022, during The London Coffee Festival , % Arabica won the "Most Notable New Cafe" award in the UK Coffee Awards 2022 . [ 9 ] The coffee brand is known for using its custom-made espresso machines, manufactured in Seattle, that provide baristas with more control while creating craft drinks. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] [ 13 ] [ 14 ] [ 15 ] [ 16 ] [ 17 ] Coffee shop aesthetic % Arabica's stores focus on having a clean, minimalist style fitting the Japanese design principles of simple beauty while having local design elements inspired by the countries in which they are based. Founder Kenneth has collaborated with several architects and design studios such as B.L.U.E. Architecture, [ 18 ] ciguë, [ 19 ] [ 20 ] Nendo, [ 21 ] [ 22 ] Precht, [ 23 ] [ 24 ] and Puddle. [ 25 ] International growth As of August 2025, the chain has 242 stores worldwide. [ 26 ] Countries served include [ 27 ] [ 28 ] [ 29 ] the United States , [ 30 ] Canada , [ 31 ] Indonesia , [ 32 ] Qatar , China (including Macau ), the United Kingdom , [ 33 ] [ 34 ] Bahrain , Malaysia , [ 35 ] Morocco , Hungary , Kuwait , United Arab Emirates , Japan , France , [ 36 ] Hong Kong , Cambodia , Philippines , Thailand , [ 37 ] Oman and Taiwan . [ 38 ] [ 39 ] % Arabica's largest international presence is in mainland China, where it operates 88 stores. [ 40 ] % Arabica expanded to Thailand in June 2020, opening a 250m 2 store in Bangkok's Iconsiam center which was described as the city's most popular specialty coffee cafe. [ 41 ] At the time, it was the brand's 48th global outpost. [ 41 ] The first U.S. cafe opened in Dumbo, Brooklyn on June 11, 2021. [ 6 ] Most locations of % Arabica are franchise operations, however, the three locations in Kyoto are corporate managed. [ 42 ] In August 2022, % Arabica opened its first store in Taiwan located at the foot of Taipei Elephant Mountain and the first Bali store at Kuta Beachwalk Mall. It is the first % Arabica store to forgo the usage of plastic cups, a standard that all % Arabica stores to follow in the future. [ 38 ] [ 43 ] [ 44 ] The stores were quickly followed by the first location in South Korea, opening in Seoul's Gangnam district in September 2022. [ 45 ] The store marked % Arabica's 113th global location. [ 45 ] % Arabica Kyoto Arashiyama % Arabica Kyoto Higashiyama % Arabica New York Dumbo Roastery % Arabica Wuxi Central 66 % Arabica London Covent Garden % Arabica Shanghai West Jianguo Road % Arabica Kyoto Parasophia % Arabica Kuwait Roastery % Arabica Beijing The New Mall % Arabica in Hong Kong The Henderson List of coffeehouse chains 1 2 3 "%Arabica - Products, Competitors, Financials, Employees, Headquarters Locations" . www.cbinsights.com . Retrieved 2023-11-11 . ↑ "Japan-Based % Arabica Opens First US Roastery and Coffee Shop in Brooklyn" . Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine . 2021-07-16 . Retrieved 2022-10-04 . ↑ "Coffee Paradise! Visiting Hit Japanese Coffee Chain % ARABICA Kyoto's Head Location in Higashiyama | LIVE JAPAN travel guide" . LIVE JAPAN . Retrieved 2022-10-04 . ↑ "Arabica International Limited" . HKG Business . 2022-08-17 . Retrieved 2022-09-23 . ↑ Hladik, Murielle (2018). Aimer Kyoto: 200 adresses à partager (in French). Mardaga. p. 42. ISBN 978-2-8047-0672-2 . 1 2 Katayama, Akiko. "Smash Hit Japanese Coffee Chain %Arabica Opens Its First U.S. Location In Brooklyn" . Forbes . Retrieved 2023-10-25 . ↑ "Japan-Based % Arabica Opens First US Roastery and Coffee Shop in Brooklyn" . Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine . 2021-07-16 . Retrieved 2023-10-25 . ↑ "Hit Japanese Coffee Chain %Arabica Plots Its First U.S. Outpost in NYC" . 8 May 2020 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "2022 UK Coffee Awards winners announced" . Global Coffee Report . 2022-04-14 . Retrieved 2022-06-01 . ↑ "Has COVID-19 ended the third-wave coffee boom? % Arabica's founder shares insight on the future of the café space" . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "虹桥上新！全球机场首家%ARABICA与亚洲机场首家Venchi" . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "Japan-Based % Arabica Opens First US Roastery and Coffee Shop in Brooklyn" . 16 July 2021 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "京都人气咖啡馆% Arabica登陆狮城" . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "Aggressively Slick Japanese Coffee Brand Confirms East London Opening" . 22 January 2019 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "%Arabica: If you haven't bean, this cafe's a strong addition" . 7 May 2018 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "藍瓶也不敢小看的咖啡！「% ARABICA」從京都紅回香港，網敲碗台北展店" . 13 April 2019 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 .

↑ "% Arabica-Asian minimalism, African coffee roastery, and Arabic meeting place" . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "B.L.U.E. Architecture Studio" . www.b-l-u-e.net . Retrieved 2022-06-01 . ↑ "% Arabica – Ciguë" . cigue.net . Retrieved 2022-06-01 . ↑ "Japan-Based % Arabica Opens First US Roastery and Coffee Shop in Brooklyn" . Daily Coffee News by Roast Magazine . 2021-07-16 . Retrieved 2022-06-01 . ↑ "Concrete platforms form seating inside the % Arabica Kuwait coffee shop" . Dezeen . 2019-03-22 . Retrieved 2022-06-01 . ↑ "nendo designs stair-like interior for arabica coffee branch in kuwait" . designboom | architecture & design magazine . 2019-03-20 . Retrieved 2022-06-01 . ↑ "One modular, locally inspired element powers the programme at % Arabica's new Bangkok café" . www.frameweb.com . Retrieved 2022-06-01 . ↑ "Precht forms counter and stepped seating from handmade bricks in Bangkok cafe" . Dezeen . 2021-04-13 . Retrieved 2022-06-01 . ↑ "8 cafés and coffee shops around the world designed by PUDDLE for % arabica" . designboom | architecture & design magazine . 2020-07-12 . Retrieved 2022-06-01 . ↑ Cao, Sean (2023-10-11). "% Arabica to re-enter France next year" . Inside Retail Asia . Retrieved 2024-02-07 . ↑ International, Retail & Leisure (2022-09-13). "% Arabica Lands in South Korea" . Retail & Leisure International . Retrieved 2022-09-26 . ↑ Portal, World Coffee (2022-09-12). "% Arabica continues expansion with first store in South Korea" . World Coffee Portal . Retrieved 2022-09-26 . ↑ "Kyoto-based coffee shop shares glimpse of stunning new BC location (RENDERING) | Dished" . dailyhive.com . Retrieved 2022-06-01 . ↑ "Famous Kyoto-Based Coffee Shop Debuts in This American City" . Archived from the original on November 15, 2021 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "% Arabica - Now Open" . Yorkdale Shopping Centre . Retrieved 2022-12-12 . ↑ "For real this time: Kyoto coffee chain % Arabica to open 1st Indonesian store at Central Park Mall on Feb. 10" . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "7 design-led London cafes to enjoy from the inside" . 15 July 2021 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "Kyoto's % Arabica to open first UK site in London" . Archived from the original on July 24, 2021 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "Coffee News In Malaysia: % Arabica, Happy Stan And Nespresso" . Archived from the original on July 25, 2021 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "Off-White implante sa première boutique à Paris" . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "% Arabica Thailand flagship store set to launch in Bangkok" . 27 May 2020 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . 1 2 "% Arabica makes its Taiwan debut" . Inside Retail . 2022-08-17 . Retrieved 2022-09-23 . ↑ "Locations" . ↑ Pallardy, Carrie (December 13, 2022). "Japan's Cult Brand % Arabica Comes to Canada" . Stir . Retrieved October 25, 2023 . 1 2 Sriangula, Vanni (2020-06-19). "A haven for coffee lovers" . Bangkok Post . Retrieved 2024-02-07 . ↑ "20年星巴克老店大變身！CAFE!N旗艦店開幕「就像在日本」" . 7 July 2021 . Retrieved July 24, 2021 . ↑ "% Arabica Hadir di Beachwalk" . JustME Asia . 2022-08-24 . Retrieved 2022-09-23 . ↑ "% Arabica Opens its First Coffee Shop in Taiwan" . HYPEBEAST . 2022-08-10 . Retrieved 2022-09-23 . 1 2 Dong, Irene (2022-09-13). "% Arabica launches its first store in South Korea" . Inside Retail Asia . Retrieved 2024-02-07 . Official Website Coffee softdrinks Food and drink companies established in 2013 Soft drinks manufacturers Coffeehouses and cafés in Japan Coffeehouses and cafés in the United States Coffeehouses and cafés in Taiwan Hong Kong brands Articles with short description Short description is different from Wikidata CS1 French-language sources (fr) Commons category link from Wikidata