Since its quiet start in a single Dubai café in 2004, FiLLi Cafe has rolled out to more than fifteen countries, from the UAE and USA to Nepal and Mauritius, while planning to open 127 Dubai stores by 2025 and land inside major airports like Changi, Riyadh, and Chicago.
The chain’s global strategy keeps combining one common brand with sharp market adaptation. Managers tweak menus and décor in each place. In the USA, for example, drinks come in warmer sizes and seasonal flavors. In the Gulf, the gold-trim cups still hold the best-known Zafran Chai, but sweets carry local spices. Initially franchised in Qatar in 2016, the brand landed in the USA and UK in 2022, proving the template travels. Data dashboards now display real-time waste in the cloud, letting store managers act fast.
Global template, local spice: same cup, warmer pour in the States, gold rim still carries Zafran.
India is now a top target as well; Radiance Hospitality will roll out FiLLi outlets starting August 2025 at Indira Gandhi International Airport as the first of two planned Indian gateways, further boosting the cloud-driven expansion drive.
Now, to speed up, FiLLi has picked COFE Cloud. Signed in 2025, the cloud deal delivers a single mobile app for every store. The app knows which store it’s serving and swaps colors, language, and offers to fit the crowd holding the phone. Receipt data from 2025 pilots already shows faster lines and higher repeat visits, the company said.
Each airport stall under the plan will run the same system. Passengers scan a QR code, pick up a hot cup, and walk to their gate. Kitchen printers fire in under two minutes. Digital touchpoints also push local Wi-Fi codes so flyers can test loyalty points while waiting to board.
Special services land quickly: fans in Nepal order via their local app but still collect the same chai blend shipped from Dubai mixes. Shops in flatter spread towns pair up with local couriers so the taste stays hot after 20-minute bike rides. A data dashboard counts every click so chefs can swap milk options days faster than before.
FiLLi hasn’t shared exact numbers yet, but executives say the cloud cut waste by double digits at the initial two dozen outlets. The next goal is fifty more airport kiosks ready by 2026. If schedules hold, travelers at both Changi and Chicago could tap the same screen to order a spiced karak before their flight boards.
