Soul Origin is preparing to accelerate its Australian and New Zealand expansion as the food and coffee retailer marks 15 years since opening its first store, with plans to increase its network from 178 locations to about 400 globally over the next decade.
The franchise business, which records about 22 million customer visits annually, currently plans to open 15–20 stores a year. Its growth strategy extends beyond traditional shopping centres into regional locations, drive-throughs, airports, hospitals, universities and service-centre partnerships.
Current chief financial officer George Gebran will become chief executive officer on October 1, taking responsibility for the next phase of the business after seven years working alongside its founders.
Gebran said the focus would be on making fresh food and specialty coffee accessible to more customers, including through formats and locations beyond Soul Origin’s established shopping-centre network.
Soul Origin co-founder and managing director Hao Quach will step back from day-to-day operations while remaining involved in long-term strategy, including New Zealand expansion, new formats and potential international markets.
The company is targeting six new stores before Christmas, including a company-owned flagship expected to open airside at Sydney International Airport’s T1 terminal in December. With Sydney Airport forecasting about 18.2 million T1 passengers during 2026, the store is intended to strengthen Soul Origin’s grab-and-go proposition while maintaining specialty coffee at its core.
Soul Origin has four New Zealand stores, including two airports, and plans to open about 10 more across the country over the next two years.
A second drive-through is scheduled for Cranbourne West in Melbourne’s outer east in February 2027, while two additional hybrid service-centre locations with Ampol are expected before the end of 2026. The company is also examining regional opportunities across NSW, Queensland and Victoria following its Darwin and Cairns operations.
Technology investment is also supporting the expansion, with $1 million being allocated to technology and data. More than 80 per cent of stores use FLOW, which provides baristas with live visibility of coffee extraction and identifies training opportunities.
The business is also strengthening its central manufacturing and production capabilities, producing items including bread, prepared chicken, sauces and proprietary dressings centrally to improve consistency and simplify store operations.
Franchise development remains central to the strategy. Johnny Phung joined Soul Origin as a team member in 2011 and has progressed to become a multi-site Franchise Partner operating at Sydney and Adelaide airports. He is preparing to support the new T1 flagship.
“I really feel like I’ve grown up with Soul Origin,” Phung said. He added that the opportunities he received had encouraged him to help other young employees develop within the business.
Quach said the company had retained the relationships and personal support of a family business while benefiting from the systems and resources of a larger network.
As Soul Origin expands into longer-trading formats, it is developing an all-day proposition that includes a potential dinner menu. About 30,000 coffees are served daily, while iced drinks, matcha, sides and add-ons are being used to broaden customer occasions beyond the traditional lunch period.
Quach said fresh food made daily and specialty coffee would remain central to Soul Origin’s growth as it enters new locations, formats and markets.