Overseas chain Black Sheep Coffee is expanding to the United States, and its debut kicked off right here in North Texas.
The chain, which has 110 locations mainly in the United Kingdom, with others in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, made its first U.S. appearance when it opened in Plano a few months back.
Now, East Dallas is home to the chain’s second American location following its Nov. 2 opening.
“We had the best time with y’all at our grand opening here in Dallas, Texas 😎 Thank you all for showing up to support Black Sheep Coffee, we can’t wait to welcome y’all again soon!” read a Nov. 3 post on Black Sheep’s Instagram page.
Ironically, the coffee chain, located chiefly overseas and founded by owners from France and Norway, is actually based in Miami. Friends and business partners Gabriel Shohet and Eirik Holth opened their first Black Sheep location in London in 2015. After more than a decade of operating and over 100 locations launched, the chain is rapidly looking to expand stateside. After Dallas, Black Sheep spots are expected to pop up in Grapevine, Austin, Miami, Phoenix, Atlanta, Oklahoma City, and the Carolinas.
The duo is opening an average of more than one location globally a week. In part, this is done by franchising the new spaces. Shohet says he and Holth want to dominate the coffee scene.
“We want to be the biggest coffee company in the world,” he said, per the Dallas Morning News.
“Look, we quit our jobs to start this company. We took a massive risk. You don’t do that to open a handful of coffee shops… You don’t open a coffee company and dream of being No. 4.”
The new location in East Dallas on Mockingbird Lane has seen long lines at the drive-through. As a quick-service coffee shop, Black Sheep is expected to compete with hot beverages from the likes of McDonalds and Dunkin’ Donuts.
The coffee chain is known for pouring a strong brew made with robusta beans, which can have twice the caffeine of the more common arabica variety. To source beans, the two owners still travel to the coffee meccas of the world, like Ethiopia and Brazil.