Japan's champion barista coffee brand lasted 4 years in Taiwan — then both stores closed

REC COFFEE is a celebrated Fukuoka roaster whose founder had represented Japan at the World Barista Championship, making it one of the more prestigious names to enter Taiwan's specialty-coffee market. In 2021 it opened its first overseas store on the 26th floor of the CTBC building in Taichung's Xitun district, with a second street-level store on Chongde Road following within the year.

Four and a half years later the Taiwan operation was over. On 31 August 2025 the local agent Anqi Trading (安祈貿易) posted that REC COFFEE TAIWAN's brand agency would end, citing 'the overall environment and cost of operations' as the reason the parent company decided not to renew the contract. Both Taichung stores — Xitun and Beitun — would close.

The two stores shut on 30 September 2025. REC COFFEE's own announcement confirmed the closures came down to a contract that was not renewed, and the brand officially ended its Taiwan presence after just two locations in a city of nearly three million people.

The exit was not a shocked collapse but a quiet wind-down: an acclaimed international brand that had committed to Taiwan in 2021 simply could not make the numbers work beyond two stores, and the local partner walked away at the end of the term rather than bet more on it.