The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf has opened a new café at Camarillo Premium Outlets in California, bringing its latest franchise location to within four miles of the brand’s dedicated roasting facility in the city.
The café opened on September 12, 2026, and is owned and operated by experienced multi-unit franchisee Tae H. Kim, as the Southern California-born coffee and tea chain continues to expand its franchise footprint in California.
Located at 740 E Ventura Blvd., the Camarillo Premium Outlets café serves The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s handcrafted coffee and tea beverages, including its Ice Blended drinks, alongside breakfast and lunch options. Customers can also use delivery and mobile ordering.
Kim brings experience across the foodservice sector, having operated sushi restaurants, developed a Paris Baguette location and expanded into concepts including It’s Boba Time and The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. The Camarillo opening marks another step in his multi-unit franchise strategy.
“I am excited to bring The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf to Camarillo Premium Outlets and introduce the brand to both local residents and visitors,” Kim said. “Our goal is to provide great products, friendly service and a welcoming experience for everyone who stops by during their visit.”
The location also has a direct connection to the brand’s supply chain. The café is less than four miles from The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s Camarillo roasting facility, where different coffee beans are individually roasted to their ideal profiles before being combined through a post-roast blending process.
Founded in Southern California in 1963, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf now has more than 1,100 locations globally, including about 180 in the United States, according to the company’s latest announcement. Its broader franchise network spans more than 1,000 cafés across more than 20 countries.
Franchising remains central to the brand’s expansion strategy. The company operates a multi-unit franchise model, typically involving commitments to develop multiple stores over a specified period. It looks for partners with proven multi-unit food and beverage operating experience, market knowledge and, in some cases, retail real estate and development expertise. Franchisees receive support covering training, store development and design, operations, marketing and financial analytics.
The Camarillo opening comes as The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf targets further traditional franchise development across California, while also identifying Dallas-Fort Worth, Salt Lake City and Cincinnati for growth. The company is additionally pursuing non-traditional and airport locations across the U.S.
“Tae has a lot of experience as an operator, and that’s important to us as we look for franchise partners who can grow with the brand,” said Peter Vavra, director of franchise development. “We are excited for his opening in Camarillo and will support him if he decides to pursue additional opportunities with The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.”
For The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, the Camarillo opening therefore combines two elements of its current growth strategy: expanding through experienced multi-unit franchisees while strengthening its presence in its Southern California home market. The unusual proximity of the new café to the brand’s own roasting operation also places its franchise expansion close to one of the key parts of its coffee supply chain.
