UK specialty coffee and matcha brand Dirt Coffee is in talks with a prospective Middle East master franchise partner as founder David Hodgetts targets 100 sites within four years.
Dirt Coffee is closing in on an international master franchise agreement as the UK specialty coffee and matcha brand accelerates its domestic rollout. Founder David Hodgetts told Propel that the business is in discussions with a prospective master franchise partner in the Middle East, with talks expected to progress over the coming months. The prospective partner has not been named publicly.
The development comes as Dirt Coffee builds its UK estate following the opening of its first store in Hornsey, north London, earlier this summer. The company is now fitting out a second north London location and is developing a vintage van format, with several further sites in the pipeline.
“Off the back of opening our first store just six weeks ago, the level of franchise interest has been really encouraging,” Hodgetts said. He added that the pipeline could take Dirt Coffee into double-digit trading locations by the second quarter of 2027.
Hodgetts said the business remains confident of reaching its longer-term target of 100 locations within four years, pointing to the team’s experience across more than 200 coffee sites over the past decade. “Although Dirt is still small today, we’ve built the infrastructure from the outset to support scale,” he said. “The level of franchise demand gives me confidence that 100 sites within four years is achievable.”
Dirt Coffee is pursuing a deliberately lower-cost franchise model, with its own franchise website listing investment from around £60,000, compared with £250,000–£500,000 or more for what it describes as other coffee franchise models. The brand offers three formats: grab-and-go, sit-in coffee and brunch, and a café-bar concept.
The company is also targeting high streets, residential developments and grab-and-go locations such as transport hubs, rather than concentrating on expensive flagship sites. “We’re looking for low-risk, commercially sensible locations rather than taking sites simply because they look good for the brand,” Hodgetts said. “For us, the franchisee comes first and the brand comes second.”
The latest international talks follow Dirt Coffee’s earlier expansion activity in the Middle East. It was reported in June 2024 that the brand had agreed a master licence partnership in Qatar, with plans for 10 sites in the capital over five years. However, the current report describes the latest Middle East discussions as the prospective international master franchise opportunity and does not identify the partner or territory.
Dirt Coffee was founded by Hodgetts, who previously launched Triple Two Coffee and grew it to around 40 sites before selling the business. He subsequently established DMH Brands, which also includes Just Tea and Sip Coco.
With its first UK sites now trading, a growing franchise pipeline and international discussions underway, Dirt Coffee is positioning its lower-investment model as the foundation for rapid multi-market expansion.
