Hollys

Hollys is a South Korean specialty-coffee and café lifestyle brand operated by KG Hollys F&B Co., Ltd. The business began in 1998 and opened what is described as South Korea's first espresso shop that year, starting from a location in Seoul's Gangnam District. Its early development was centered on espresso-based beverages and the growth of a branded café chain, but the company later broadened its proposition beyond coffee to include tea, specialty hot and cold drinks, pastries, snacks, and coffee-related supplies. The chain expanded rapidly in South Korea. It opened its 100th location at Gangnam Station in May 2006 and reached its 200th store in May 2009. The business also pursued international expansion, opening a store in Los Angeles in April 2008 and later entering the Philippines, China, Thailand, Vietnam, and Malaysia. Its first Philippine location opened in July 2011, its first Chinese store opened in Shenzhen in July 2012, and its first Thai store opened in Bangkok in 2013. These moves positioned Hollys as a Korean café chain with a presence extending beyond its domestic market, although South Korea remained its principal operating base. Education and coffee expertise became another part of the brand's identity when the Hollys Coffee Academy opened in April 2011. The academy reflected the company's effort to build capabilities around coffee preparation and café operations rather than relying solely on store expansion. In its stores, Hollys combined espresso drinks with a wider food and beverage menu intended to support different occasions, including casual meetings, studying, work, and everyday social visits. Ownership changed materially in October 2020, when KG Inicis, an affiliate of KG Group, acquired a 93.8 percent stake in Hollys F&B through the special-purpose company Crown F&B from IMM Private Equity. In March 2021, the company removed the word “Coffee” from its trade name and relaunched the consumer-facing brand as Hollys. The rebrand introduced a revised logo and a new slogan and presented the company as a broader lifestyle brand rather than a coffee-only chain. This change aligned the name with a wider offering that includes tea, food, café merchandise, and other aspects of the café experience. Hollys therefore occupies the specialty-coffee and café segment, with a business model combining company-operated or franchised café locations, beverage and food sales, and brand-led customer experiences. Publicly available reference material identifies the brand's historical international markets and major expansion milestones but does not provide sufficient current information to establish its present store count, detailed ownership structure beyond its KG Group association, current executive roster, or a definitive official website.

Hollys was established in South Korea in 1998 and opened its first store in May of that year in Seoul's Gangnam District. The business is associated with the development of South Korea's espresso-café market and is described in reference material as having opened the country's first espresso shop. From its initial coffeehouse base, Hollys developed a chain format focused on espresso beverages, specialty coffee, tea, pastries, snacks, and coffee supplies. Domestic expansion was rapid. The company opened its 100th store in May 2006 at Gangnam Station and reached its 200th store in May 2009. The growth reflected the increasing importance of branded coffeehouses in South Korean urban commercial districts. Hollys also began international expansion during this period. Its first overseas store opened in Los Angeles in April 2008. The company subsequently entered the Philippines in July 2011, China in July 2012 with a store in Shenzhen, and Thailand in 2013 with a Bangkok location. Reference material also identifies Vietnam and Malaysia among the markets reached by the franchise or wider international expansion. The company added an educational dimension to its operations with the opening of the Hollys Coffee Academy in April 2011. The academy indicated an emphasis on coffee knowledge, preparation, and operational standards alongside the physical store network. Hollys stores continued to present a broad café menu rather than a narrow espresso-only offer, serving hot and cold coffee and tea drinks together with pastries, snacks, and coffee-related supplies. A major ownership transition occurred in October 2020. KG Inicis, an affiliate of KG Group, used the special-purpose company Crown F&B to acquire a 93.8 percent stake in Hollys F&B from IMM Private Equity. Following the transaction, the business became part of the KG Group corporate ecosystem. In March 2021, the company removed “Coffee” from its trade name and relaunched the consumer brand as Hollys. The rebrand included a new logo and slogan and was intended to express a lifestyle-oriented proposition extending beyond coffee. The available reference material does not establish a complete current store count, a full list of present international locations, current executives, or a confirmed official corporate website. Hollys is nevertheless identifiable as an active South Korean café and specialty-coffee brand with a history of domestic chain expansion, international franchising or market entry, and post-2020 repositioning under KG Group ownership.

• 2021

  Brand relaunch as Hollys

  [1]Hollysen.wikipedia.org

  In March 2021, the company removed “Coffee” from its name, introduced a revised logo and slogan, and repositioned itself as a lifestyle brand.

• 2020

  KG Group affiliate acquires majority stake

  [1]Hollysen.wikipedia.org

  Crown F&B, a special-purpose company connected with KG Inicis, acquired a 93.8 percent stake in Hollys F&B from IMM Private Equity.

• 2013

  Thai market entry

  [1]Hollysen.wikipedia.org

  Hollys opened its first Thai store in Bangkok in 2013.

• 2012

  Chinese market entry

  [1]Hollysen.wikipedia.org

  The first Chinese Hollys store opened in Shenzhen in July 2012.

• 2011

  Hollys Coffee Academy opens

  [1]Hollysen.wikipedia.org

  The Hollys Coffee Academy opened in April 2011, adding an education and training element to the brand's coffee operations.

• 2011

  Philippine market entry

  [1]Hollysen.wikipedia.org

  Hollys opened its first store in the Philippines in July 2011.

• 2009

  200th store opens

  [1]Hollysen.wikipedia.org

  The company opened its 200th store in May 2009.

• 2008

  First overseas store opens in Los Angeles

  [1]Hollysen.wikipedia.org

  Hollys opened its first international store in Los Angeles in April 2008.

• 2006

  100th store opens

  [1]Hollysen.wikipedia.org

  The chain opened its 100th location at Gangnam Station in May 2006.

• 1998

  First Hollys store opens in Seoul

  [1]Hollysen.wikipedia.org

  Hollys opened its first store in May 1998 in Seoul's Gangnam District and began developing its espresso-focused café business.

A Korean specialty-coffee chain repositioned as a broader café lifestyle brand, combining espresso expertise with tea, food, coffee supplies, and an expanded in-store experience.

• Coffee · 1998

  Espresso and specialty coffee beverages

  Coffee is the historic core of Hollys. The chain began with an espresso-shop concept and offers espresso-based drinks and other specialty coffee beverages in hot and cold formats. These products anchor the brand's identity as a Korean specialty-coffee chain while supporting everyday café visits and longer stays.

• Tea

  Tea and tea-based beverages

  Hollys also serves tea and tea-based drinks, including hot and cold preparations. The tea range broadens the brand's appeal beyond coffee drinkers and supports the company's later positioning as a lifestyle café rather than a coffee-only retailer.

• Food

  Pastries and snacks

  Pastries and other snacks complement the beverage menu and make the stores suitable for light meals, meetings, study sessions, and extended café visits. The available reference material does not specify individual products or current menu names.

• Coffee retail

  Coffee supplies

  The brand's stores have offered coffee supplies and related items in addition to prepared beverages. This category connects Hollys with at-home coffee use and reinforces its broader coffee expertise, although the available source does not identify a complete product range.

• 2021

  Repositioning from Hollys Coffee to HollysStrategy

  Background

  The company sought to express a proposition broader than specialty coffee, reflecting its beverage, food, supplies, and café-lifestyle activities.

  Action taken

  In March 2021, the company removed “Coffee” from its trade name, revised its logo, introduced a new slogan, and relaunched the consumer-facing brand as Hollys.

  Aftermath

  The change formally framed Hollys as a lifestyle brand rather than a coffee-only chain. No independently sourced campaign performance or financial impact is provided.

  Source

• 2020

  Acquisition of a controlling stake by a KG Group affiliateM&A

  Background

  Hollys F&B was owned in part by IMM Private Equity before the transaction. KG Inicis pursued the acquisition through Crown F&B, a special-purpose company.

  Action taken

  Crown F&B acquired 93.8 percent of Hollys F&B in October 2020, bringing the business into the KG Group orbit.

  Aftermath

  The transaction established KG Group as the controlling corporate owner associated with the brand. The available source does not provide further transaction terms or post-acquisition financial results.

  Source

1. 1Hollysen.wikipedia.org