Soul Origin wants to more than double in size over the next decade, with plans to grow from 178 locations across Australia and New Zealand to around 400 globally. The expansion will take the brand well outside the shopping centres and food courts it is best known for, with airports, drive-throughs, service centres, hospitals, universities and regional locations all in the mix. Airports, drive-throughs and 400 stores Six new stores are expected to open before Christmas 2026, including a new flagship inside Sydney International Airport’s T1 terminal in December. The airport location will have a stronger grab-and-go offer and a menu tailored to travellers, while keeping specialty coffee as a key part of the format. Sydney Airport is forecasting around 18.2 million T1 passengers in 2026. Soul Origin already operates four stores in New Zealand, including two airport locations, and plans to open around 10 more across the country over the next two years. “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,” said Soul Origin co-founder and Managing Director Hao Quach. Closer to home, its second drive-through is expected to open in Cranbourne West, Victoria in February 2027. Two more hybrid service-centre locations with Ampol are also expected before the end of 2026. Regional growth is being explored across New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria following the performance of stores in Darwin and Cairns. The expansion also comes with a change at the top. Current Chief Financial Officer George Gebran will become CEO, while Quach will focus on long-term strategy and future growth. “Each format gives us an opportunity to reach customers at a different point in their day. 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,” Gebran said. The scale of the business is already significant, with around 22 million customer visits a year and more than 30,000 coffees served daily. Soul Origin also topped the December 2025 Fonto customer satisfaction rankings for QSRs. Quach originally spotted a gap in shopping centres for fresher food and specialty coffee that could still be served quickly, and roughly 70 per cent of that original menu remains available today. “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,” Quach said. Dinner, matcha and potato gems Soul Origin is working on a dinner menu, rolling potato gems out more widely after testing them through its drive-throughs and expanding its iced drinks and matcha range as younger customers drive demand. More than 80 per cent of stores now use FLOW, which gives baristas live information on each coffee extraction and helps track consistency and training. Soul Origin has allocated $1 million to technology in 2026, with a rebuilt app, upgraded loyalty platform and digital menu boards also underway. Breads, prepared chicken, sauces and proprietary dressings are produced centrally before reaching stores, reducing some of the more complex cooking, cooling and food-safety processes at store level. The central production model gives Soul Origin more control over consistency and supply as the network grows, while store teams can focus on preparing food, building displays and serving customers. “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 said. Source: Narrative Communications Find more food and drink news on Crumb Wire.