Islamabad-Famous US-based brand The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® was launched in Pakistan on Monday by young entrepreneurs Usman Yousuf and Adnan Azam at a glamorous event hosted by Natasha Hussain and top models, a statement said.

Mayor of Islamabad Sheikh Ansar Aziz cut the ribbon to mark the launch. Other dignitaries from the federal capital also participated in the event.

“It’s been a long time since a big lifestyle brand such as The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® has been launched in Pakistan,” said the mayor. “I’m glad that they have chosen Islamabad as their launching pad. It’s a truly fantastic store offering a premium marquis experience – a little piece of Los Angeles under the Margallas! I’m hoping to see more Coffee Bean stores open in our city”, he added.

Born and brewed in Southern California since 1963, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® is heralded as the oldest and largest privately-held specialty coffee and tea retailer in the world, with over 1,200 stores across 31 countries. It has immediate plans of launching next in Olympus Mall, Islamabad, as well as in Packages Mall and Main Boulevard in Gulberg, Lahore. The company has plans of opening thirty stores across the country in the next five years, all owned and operated by the master franchisees to maintain quality and standard, the statement added.

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® is committed to sourcing and roasting the top 1 per cent of Arabica beans, and serving over twenty handpicked whole leaf teas, all from small farms and private estates in East Africa, Latin America and the Pacific. Its philosophy is to “respect every Bean” and create a social hub where customers can relax and enjoy in a casual, friendly Southern California environment.

It is especially known for concocting the signature ‘Ice blended’ drink, variations of which are now offered at other coffeehouses as well around the globe. The brand is especially a favourite in Hollywood, catering to the likes of Johnny Carson, David Beckham, Madonna and Eddie Murphy, the statement further said.

The Coffee Bean is truly international. The coffee and teas are picked from across the world, roasted in LA and ground in best-in-class Swiss equipment, pulled in an Italian “Ferrari of coffee machines” with water that comes from a world-class filtration system and served in mugs from Korea. Their chocolate and cocoa comes from Belgium and Switzerland, the butter from France, and the flour from Dubai. As for the people, the trainers are from Malaysia and the baristas are from Pakistan, the statement said.

Launched in Pakistan from Islamabad and planning to open in all major cities, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® has since grown to over 1,400 stores in nearly forty countries worldwide. Company-owned stores are located in California, Arizona, Singapore and Malaysia.

The domestically-franchised stores span from California to New York and include locations in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Michigan, Nevada, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington and Washington D.C.

Internationally, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf® franchised locations can be found in Bahrain, Brunei, Cambodia, China, East Malaysia (Sabah), Egypt, Georgia, India, Indonesia, Iraqi Kurdistan, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Mongolia, Oman, Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam, the statement concluded.