A major investment deal is set to reshape the future of Turkish coffee chain Espressolab after a UAE-based company agreed to acquire a controlling stake in the business.
Abu Dhabi-based Mair Group announced that it has signed an agreement to purchase 70 percent of Eslab, the company that owns and operates Espressolab. The transaction remains subject to regulatory approval, and the financial terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
If completed, the acquisition will mark Mair Group’s first international purchase since its listing on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange in December 2024. The move also reflects growing interest from Gulf investors in consumer and retail businesses across the region.
Under the agreement, Espressolab’s founders and existing shareholders will retain the remaining 30 percent ownership stake. The arrangement will allow the current leadership team to remain involved while bringing in a strategic investor with experience in retail and consumer markets.
Espressolab has grown rapidly in recent years and has become one of Turkey’s largest coffee chains. According to information released by Mair Group, the brand operated more than 400 stores across 21 countries as of August 2026.
The majority of those locations are in Turkey, where the company has more than 310 stores spread across over 50 cities. Most of the outlets operate under a franchise model, helping the brand expand both domestically and internationally.
The acquisition gives Mair Group access to a growing global coffee business with an established presence in several international markets. The company already operates businesses in retail, real estate and food distribution.
Its portfolio includes the Adcoop supermarket network, Spar stores in Abu Dhabi and the Makani real estate business. Adding Espressolab would strengthen its position in the food and beverage sector.
The coffee chain gained national attention in Turkey during 2025 after becoming the focus of a political boycott campaign. The boycott emerged following the detention and imprisonment of İstanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, a leading opposition figure and political rival of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
The arrest sparked protests in several parts of Turkey and led opposition groups to launch campaigns targeting businesses they believed were connected to the government or were not providing sufficient coverage of the demonstrations.
During a rally in İstanbul in March 2025, opposition leader Özgür Özel called on supporters to stop purchasing products from Espressolab. At the time, he led the Republican People’s Party and later became leader of the New Party.
The opposition included the coffee chain on a list of companies it accused of having links to government interests or failing to respond to public concerns surrounding the protests.
Espressolab rejected those claims and denied having political connections. Company representatives stated that the business was owned by the Kocadağ family and had no undisclosed shareholders or political backers.
The company emphasized that its operations were focused on coffee and hospitality rather than political issues. Its response aimed to reassure customers and business partners during a period of increased public attention.
Despite those efforts, the boycott had a measurable impact on the company’s performance. In May 2025, Espressolab Chief Executive Officer Esat Kocadağ said revenue had declined by 22 percent over a two-month period following the campaign.
Government supporters and members of the ruling Justice and Development Party later visited Espressolab locations to publicly demonstrate support for the brand.
The planned acquisition by Mair Group comes as Espressolab continues expanding its international footprint. Industry observers view the deal as a significant step for both companies, providing the coffee chain with additional resources while giving the UAE-based investor a stronger presence in international consumer markets.
With regulatory approval still pending, attention will now turn to the next phase of the transaction and how the partnership could support Espressolab’s future growth across global markets.
