Fifteen years after opening its first store, Australian fresh-food and specialty-coffee brand Soul Origin plans to more than double its network from 178 locations across Australia and New Zealand to about 400 locations globally over the next decade.
Soul Origin was created when co-founder and managing director, Hao Quach, identified a gap in shopping centres and food courts for fresh, healthier food and quality specialty coffee served with speed and convenience.
What began as a family-run business, with its founders and family members working across every part of the operation, has grown into a network recording around 22 million customer visits annually.
As it enters its next phase of growth, Soul Origin is expanding into regional locations, airports, drive-throughs, service centres, hospitals and universities, alongside continued growth across its established shopping-centre network.
To lead Soul Origin through its next phase, current chief financial officer, George Gebran, will become CEO, while Quach will focus on long-term strategy and future growth opportunities.
Soul Origin is progressing towards opening six new stores before Christmas 2026, including a new flagship expected to open airside within Sydney International Airport’s T1 terminal in December 2026.
Soul Origin currently operates four stores in New Zealand, including two airport locations, and plans to open approximately 10 additional stores across the country over the next two years.
Quach said the T1 flagship and continued growth in New Zealand would deepen the business’s understanding of how its offer resonates with customers from different markets.
“A key part of my focus will be identifying where the brand has the strongest opportunities internationally and ensuring we approach each new market with a clear understanding of local customers,” Quach explained.
Soul Origin’s second drive-through is expected to open at Cranbourne West, Victoria in February 2027. The business is also continuing to develop its hybrid service-centre model in partnership with Ampol, with two additional locations expected to open before the end of 2026.
Following the performance of its stores in Darwin and Cairns, Soul Origin is exploring further regional opportunities across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria.
According to Gebran, expansion into new formats would require Soul Origin to respond to different customer needs and trading patterns.
“Each format gives us an opportunity to reach customers at a different point in their day,” he added.
“We will draw on customer insights and the experience gained across our network to tailor the menu, service model and operations while keeping fresh food and specialty coffee at the centre of the offer.”
An important part of Soul Origin’s ability to scale while maintaining quality has been its investment in manufacturing and central production. Key products, including breads, prepared chicken, sauces and proprietary dressings, are produced centrally, providing greater control over quality, consistency, supply and innovation.
Central production also reduces complex cooking, cooling and food-safety processes at store level, allowing teams to focus on preparing and assembling fresh food, creating displays and serving customers.
Quach noted that approximately 70 per cent of Soul Origin’s original menu remains available today, reflecting the enduring appeal of products developed during the business’s early years.
“Two of the soups that became staples of our menu came from my mum’s recipes, and many of the products we developed in those early years remain on the menu today,” he said.
While retaining the core of its original offer, Soul Origin is developing a dinner menu to extend its offer into the evening. Potato gems, initially tested through its drive-through format, are also being rolled out more widely across the network.
Coffee remains Soul Origin’s core frequency driver, while beverage innovation helps the brand reach customers at different times of day. The business is expanding its iced-beverage and matcha ranges in response to growing demand, particularly among younger customers.
Soul Origin has allocated $1 million to technology in 2026 to support its next phase of growth. More than 80 per cent of its stores now use FLOW, which gives baristas live, objective visibility into every coffee extraction.
The technology acts as a live coffee coach, helping baristas build their knowledge, skills and confidence, while giving Franchise Partners greater visibility across coffee execution and helping identify training opportunities. For customers, it supports a more consistent Soul Origin coffee across the network.
Soul Origin is also rebuilding its app, upgrading its loyalty platform and rolling out digital menu boards. These investments are intended to improve the customer experience and provide stronger insights to guide product development.
“As Soul Origin has grown, we have retained the close relationships and personal support of a family business while drawing on the scale, systems and resources of a much larger network. I am incredibly proud of what we have achieved together,” Quach concluded.
