Mega Coffee pushes into supermarkets and fast-food chains amid aggressive acquisition drive

Mega MGC Coffee, which recently opened its 4,500th store and expanded into Mongolia, Cambodia and potentially Japan and the United States, is shifting from pure coffee retail to broader food-service investments. The company first tried to acquire Homeplus Express, hoping to add supermarket logistics and a national retail platform, but Harim Group won the bid. It is now a leading contender for Haitai HTB, LG Household & Health Care’s beverage arm, in a deal expected to fetch about 300 billion won.

Success would give Mega access to production plants and distribution networks for ready-to-drink coffee and bottled drinks. Simultaneously, investment banks have presented Burger King Korea’s operator, BKR, to Mega, with Affinity Equity Partners even considering carving out Tim Hortons to avoid overlap. Analysts say the outcome of the Haitai transaction will likely determine whether Mega joins the fast-food arena. The group’s owners hold over 350 billion won in cash and liquid assets, providing ample funding for these ambitions.