A Twosome Place
South Korean coffeehouse chain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A Twosome Place (Korean: 투썸플레이스) is a South Korean coffeehouse chain specializing in coffee and desserts. Since the opening of its first store in Sinchon, Seoul, in 2002, the brand has grown to approximately 1,700 locations nationwide as of June 2025. Following the launch of its franchise business in 2008, A Twosome Place was established as an independent corporation in February 2018 through a spin-off from CJ Foodville's coffee business. In November 2021, the company was acquired by the Carlyle Group, a U.S.-based global investment firm.
| |
| Industry | Food service |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2002, South Korea |
| Headquarters | 170, Euljiro, Jung District, Seoul, South Korea |
Number of locations | 1,640+ stores (2023) |
| Owner | The Carlyle Group, through Trinity Holdings, L.P. (100%) |
| Parent | CJ Foodville (CJ Group; 2002–2020) Anchor Equity Partners (2020–2021) The Carlyle Group (since 2021)[1] |
| Website | twosome |
Name meaning
History
A Twosome Place, created in 2002 by CJ Foodville, opened its first store in Sinchon, Seoul,[3] and it launched its franchise model in 2008, with a store in Sinsa, Gangnam.[3] In 2010, it opened its 100th location, and a year later, it expanded into the Chinese market. By the end of 2017, it had 45 stores in that country.[5] Also in 2017, A Twosome Place signed a partnership with Singapore's TWG Tea, adding its products to its menu.[6] In 2018, the brand was spun off from CJ Foodville.[7] In 2021, it was acquired by the American private equity firm the Carlyle Group.[8][9] Despite the financial shock of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022), A Twosome Place was the only coffeehouse chain in South Korea to record a profit.[8] However, that year, it was forced to liquidate its Chinese subsidiary, A Twosome Shanghai.[10] By the end of 2025, the company operated more than 1,700 stores across South Korea.[11][12][13] That year, the "Twosome 2.0" concept was created, featuring an updated store design.[14] The company operates a research and development center,[3] and it has a proprietary Mobile application, called Twosome Heart.[8][3]
Milestones
Products
A Twosome Place is known for pairing coffee with desserts, with a particular focus on cakes. Its offerings also include macarons and deli items. Notable cake products include the Spoonable Abak, introduced in 2015, and Strawberry Chocolate Fresh Cream Cake, which is particularly popular during the holiday season.[21]
