- Greggs has overtaken Costa Coffee to become the largest branded coffee operator in the UK, reaching 2,737 outlets in the first half of the year compared with Costa's 2,707 stores.
- The bakery chain's ascent has been driven by offering competitively priced coffee alongside its traditional food options, ranking first for value among quick-stop and coffee shop services on YouGov's Brand Index.
- Greggs plans to maintain its rapid expansion by opening more than 100 shops across 2026, working towards a longer-term target of 3,500 outlets nationwide.
- In contrast, Costa Coffee is focussing on refurbishments and range refreshes rather than footprint growth, following reported losses exceeding £13 million in 2024 and a failed sale attempt by parent firm Coca-Cola.
- Although the overall UK coffee market expanded by over 5 per cent to reach £6.8 billion in 2025, operators face potential margin pressure as climate events threaten to drive up the import cost of coffee beans.
IN FULL
Costa loses crown as UK’s biggest coffee chain to budget favourite
