PTT opens coffee shop chain to local franchisees

MANILA, Philippines -  PTT Philippines Corp., the local unit of Thailand’s largest petroleum company, has opened its coffee shop chain Café Amazon to local franchisees to widen its presence in the country as it diversifies to the coffee business from just marketing petrol.

In a statement yesterday, PTT Philippines president and CEO Sukanya Seriyothin said with the master franchise authority from PTT Thailand, they could now start offering the franchise to local investors.

 “We will have branches at PTT stations but it’s not exclusive there,” Seriyothin said.

She said a franchisee may open a branch at strategic locations such as malls, office buildings, schools, condominiums, and rest areas, among others.

Launched in 2002 in Thailand by PTT Group, Café Amazon was initially aimed at providing complete experience to customers of PTT stations. It eventually branched out to other areas and countries like Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Japan, and recently, the Philippines.