In 2016, a bold idea sparked a revolution in South Africa’s coffee scene. Xpresso Café’s success story began with a simple yet powerful vision: to make freshly brewed coffee and quality food accessible to everyone. Today, with 65 stores and counting, Xpresso Café has proven that affordability and excellence can go hand in hand.
The founders, Tomer and Nicolene Elhadad, had no prior experience in the food industry. But they had a dream—and a question: Why does coffee have to be so expensive? Their answer was Xpresso Café, a brand that disrupted the market by offering every item on its menu for just R10 (now R12).
The Birth of a Bold Idea
Nicolene Elhadad recalls the night before their first store opened in Durbanville. “I told Tomer, ‘I don’t think this is going to work.’ He just laughed and said, ‘We buy coffee for R35. Why wouldn’t someone buy it for R10?’”
Their confidence wasn’t unfounded. The couple had already built successful businesses in wholesale and distribution. But coffee was different. It was personal. Nicolene loved coffee and wanted to share that joy with others. After visiting 20 to 30 coffee shops in Cape Town and consulting with roasteries, she realized something: coffee wasn’t as expensive to make as people thought.
“We wanted to create a place where everyone could enjoy coffee every day, not just as a treat,” Nicolene explains.
The R10 Challenge
Launching a business with such low prices wasn’t easy. The Elhadads had to negotiate fiercely with suppliers. Tomer’s knack for negotiation played a key role. “We told suppliers, ‘We’re not buying 100 pastries a month—we’re buying thousands,’” Nicolene says.
Their pitch was simple: lower prices would drive higher volumes. Some suppliers took the gamble, and it paid off.
The Queues Begin
On October 1, 2016—International Coffee Day, though they didn’t know it at the time—Xpresso Café opened its doors. By the end of the day, a line of curious customers stretched outside the store.
“People either wanted to see how good it could be or how bad it could be,” Nicolene laughs. “We had to prove that our coffee wasn’t crap—just affordable.”
Word spread quickly. Social media buzzed with posts about the R10 coffee, and soon, Xpresso Café was a household name.
Scaling Up: From One Store to 65
Within a year, Xpresso Café expanded to five stores. The introduction of franchising accelerated growth, and today, the brand boasts 65 locations across South Africa.
But growth came with challenges. Consistency in product quality became an issue as the company relied on multiple suppliers. To address this, Xpresso Café opened its own food factory in Cape Town, ensuring uniformity across all stores.
Lessons from the Journey
Nicolene shares key lessons from Xpresso Café’s success story:
- Hire Slow, Fire Fast: “If someone isn’t adding value to your business, let them go. A bad apple can spoil the bunch.”
- Trust Your Instincts: “If you don’t take a chance on yourself, no one else will.”
- Adapt and Learn: When a no-cash policy backfired, costing the company thousands, they quickly reverted to accepting cash.
The Future of Xpresso Café
With plans to expand further and introduce new menu items, Xpresso Café’s success story is far from over. The brand continues to innovate while staying true to its core mission: making coffee and food accessible to all.
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Conclusion: Xpresso Café’s Success Story
Xpresso Café’s success story is a testament to the power of bold ideas and relentless execution. From a single store in Durbanville to a nationwide phenomenon, the brand has redefined what’s possible in the coffee industry.
As Nicolene puts it, “We wanted to create something that people could enjoy every day. And we did.”
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