Taiwan cafe chain opens new shop in US, attracts long lines

The outlet is located in West Covina City in Los Angeles County, southern California, where there is a large population of Taiwanese-Americans.

A customer told CNA that he stood in line for one and half hours to buy bread at the bakery and the plaza was full of people when he arrived at the shop.

It is the third 85 degrees C shop opened in the U.S., after one was built in Irvine in 2008 and another in Hacienda Heights in 2011.

The 5000-square foot shop in West Covina is the biggest one in the chain worldwide, said Stephenie Peng, the Irvine branch manager who is also in charge of operations in West Covina.

In 2012, sales at the outlets in Irvine and Hacienda Heights averaged US$700,000 per month, according to the company.

Eyeing the business potential in the state of California, Gourmet Master is planning to open another 20 shops there within five years, expanding into northern California.

Gourmet Master also plans to establish a central food manufacturing plant in southern California in the second quarter of 2013 at a cost of US$12 million to supply its 15 to 20 shops in the U.S. that will employ about 700 people.

Currently, the Taiwan-based cafe chain operates 732 shops — 347 in Taiwan, 374 in China, five in Australia, three each in Hong Kong and the United States.

Shares of Gourmet Master closed at NT$190.0 in Taipei trade Friday.

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