w the brand fills in a white space in the competitive coffee brewing market and the strategies for expansion.   Inside Retail: How does Blank Street Coffee differentiate from other coffee shop chains? What white spaces does it fill in this sector of the retail industry? Vinay Menda: There’s no silver bullet when it comes to differentiating in the coffee chain space. However, at Blank Street, we know that even the smallest touch can transform someone’s experience. We pride ourselves on providing high-quality and affordable drinks. We are intentional with our minimalistic aesthetic that allows us to adapt easily in new markets and locations. We believe in adding magic to otherwise ordinary moments, elevating your day through great food and drinks, well-designed spaces, and a carefully considered customer experience aimed at our key consumer and beyond. These moments become the building blocks of what makes life and the experience at Blank Street extraordinary. IR: Unlike the classic coffee shop model, where customers are able to grab a coffee and leisurely chat with friends and work on a laptop, Blank Street has a more time-efficient approach to serving customers, with automated espresso machines, smaller storefronts, and a strong focus on mobile orders. What was the reasoning behind this approach? VM: At Blank Street, our goal has always been to create an experience that meets the needs of today’s customers. By combining convenience, quality and accessibility, we’ve embraced a model that allows us to serve great coffee/matcha quickly while also creating a welcoming and comfortable environment for those who choose to spend a portion of their day with us – no matter how brief or long. Every neighborhood and customer is different, and our approach is designed to adapt to those unique dynamics while maintaining the quality and community spirit that people associate with great coffee and matcha. IR: Beyond the automated espresso machines, how else is Blank Street Coffee using technology to disrupt the coffee retail scene? VM: We wouldn’t consider ourselves disruptive with technology. Sure, we use tech to keep things running smoothly, but our real focus is on creating an amazing, made-to-order experience. It’s all about great drinks, friendly baristas, and a space you’ll love. Tech just helps us do that a little better! IR: What were the initial challenges you came across in the earlier stages of launching and running the business? What measures have you taken/are you taking to overcome those difficulties? VM: In the beginning, we opened stores that were too small and couldn’t support our volumes. Specifically, we surpassed our initial expectations on iced espresso and matcha drinks, which meant we had to rethink the bar flow. We’ve certainly become far more intentional with these lessons and it’s been exciting bringing these optimizations to life. Now, our stores are larger and designed for a better experience – baristas have more space for smooth operations behind the counter and customers enjoy a more engaging atmosphere, often with sufficient seating. IR: How much total investment has Blank Street raised so far, and how has that funding been applied? What is the annual revenue of the business now? VM: While we don’t share these figures specifically, I can say that Blank Street has experienced tremendous growth, driven by the support of our customers and our team’s continued focus on innovation. Over the past year, our viral matcha flavors – like Banana Bread, Blueberry and Daydream – have taken off. Matcha now makes up roughly 15,000 of our beverage purchases a day. IR: Blank Street has witnessed an impressive rise in business since launching in 2020, with the opening of over 70 stores across the US and UK. What factors do you think contributed to the brand’s exponential growth? VM: We listen to our customers – on trends, flavors, hot vs. iced beverages, and everything in between. This is not just something we take into consideration in each market but within each store and neighborhood. Who is our primary customer and what typically brings them into Blank Street? Is it their morning pre-office routine, a mid-afternoon pick-me-up, or Sunday pit stop with your friends? We have a lot of fun with our menu, tapping into cultural and seasonal trends, local happenings and buzzing recipes. We keep prices attractive, this is something we are truly proud of and plan to continue across all markets. We think brand-first for everything. We never want to lose sight of what makes Blank Street special to our communities, both in the US and across the pond. IR: What kinds of locations work best for Blank Street in terms of size, neighborhood, etc? What is the research process for identifying the best places to open a new cafe? VM: We’ve found success in many different retail formats: from quaint spaces in brownstone Brooklyn neighborhoods to glass office towers in Midtown and across various college campuses. We choose sites based on what makes coming to Blank Street the most enticing and convenient option for whoever lives in that neighborhood. At a baseline, we value high foot-traffic areas, while also taking into account other businesses in the area, neighborhoods that are frequented by our core consumer base, and locations that have a glaring need for Blank Street. Our customers come first and we keep in mind purchasing habits when exploring our next potential locations. Our focus is to deliver on creating inviting and memorable spaces in locations that are mutually beneficial to our brand, surrounding businesses, and the customers we serve. IR: One way Blank Street Coffee has tapped into the interests of a younger, Gen Z-leaning consumer base is through joint pop-ups with brands like Chamberlain Coffee. What is the strategic thinking behind these types of collaborations? VM: We love teaming up with brands and celebrities/influencers that vibe with our customers. Strategically, it’s all about authenticity. We know our audience – what makes them tick, what they are reading, where they are shopping, and who they are following on social media. We want our partnerships to feel like an organic extension of our brand ethos, which is how previous, buzzy collabs with the likes of Chamberlain Coffee and Sabrina Carpenter came to life. All of our partners are either existing customers themselves, or have audiences that we know will resonate with Blank Street. We love tapping into our established community with influential talent and likeminded brands that organically live and breathe the Blank Street lifestyle. We’re really picky with partnerships because we know our customers expect the best.  IR: Speaking of Gen Z, there has been a noticeable veer in attention from this younger consumer group – away from other legacy coffee shop chains. Why do you think that is?  VM: Gen Z has high standards for quality, authenticity and experience – and we 100 per cent support it. They’re a dynamic and honest audience – they know what they like and why they support it. We are real and not trying to be something we are not. We offer quality options and that’s why we focus on growing very closely with them on this journey.  IR: What tactics is Blank Street Coffee leaning into to become the next great legacy coffee shop chain? VM: It’s really important to us that we’re doing our own thing. While it’s fun to keep up with industry trends, we find ourselves pulling inspiration from the worlds of fashion, music, culture, and lifestyle more than anything else, which allows us to stay ahead of the curve. We are thoughtful in our choices and think strategically about what makes sense for our brand and consumers. It’s exactly what has led us to create our unique and iconic drinks like Banana Bread Matcha.  IR: What areas of opportunity is Blank Street Coffee planning to tap into over the next year or so? VM: Focused expansion in existing markets, trendsetting drinks, and engaging experiences that will leave customers wanting even more. For example, our matcha flavors have really blown up in the past year, and account for roughly half our beverage sales daily. We plan to continue experimenting and innovating with our flavor profiles, for our matcha and beyond, while also launching/dialing up other brand initiatives that I can’t reveal just yet. IR: What are your plans for expansion over the next 5-10 years? VM: Right now, we’re perfecting what we do best in our current markets. There’s plenty of room for growth right here before we look further ahead.  IR: What are your long-term goals for Blank Street Coffee? VM: Our goal has been and always will be to serve high-quality coffee and matcha at a price that feels right – without compromising on speed or hospitality. Whether it’s the convenience of our app, our hyper-local community engagement, or our baristas who know your order before you even say it, Blank Street is designed for how people actually live today. All of this said, I believe wholeheartedly that Blank Street is well on its way to cementing its legacy. We plan to keep building on what we’ve started – but bigger, better, and more exciting, because that’s how legacies are built: by seeing the future before anyone else does. We’re pumped, and we can’t wait to see what’s in store for us!