Coffee Island trials Loaded at three locations in Thessaloniki

Coffee Island is testing a different combination of specialist coffee shop and small-scale retail in Thessaloniki, Greece, through its Loaded pilot. According to a report published by mononews on 30 September 2026, the concept is operating in three stores of different sizes and forms part of wider trials in the Greek market. For the franchising community, the news is primarily about exploring new store formats, rather than announcing a finalised franchise model.

Loaded brings small-scale retail alongside coffee

At the heart of the trials is Loaded, a concept combining a specialist coffee shop with small-scale retail. Piloting it at three locations in Thessaloniki allows the company to test the model in stores of different sizes before settling on its final format.

What stands out in the report is not simply the addition of a second retail activity alongside coffee. The trials are also taking place in existing stores, with changes being made while they remain open. Loaded is therefore presented as a concept still being developed, rather than a ready-made format for immediate roll-out across a larger network.

The report provides no detailed breakdown of the retail product range, the floor areas of the three locations or the financial terms of the venture. There is therefore no specific investment package yet for prospective partners to assess. What is confirmed is the pilot itself and its combination of the two activities.

Parallel trials of the core format and an all-day concept in Patras

Loaded is not the only direction Coffee Island is exploring in Greece. According to the same source, changes and trials are also under way within the core Coffee Island store format, while an all-day concept is being tested in Patras.

These are distinct trials and should not be confused. In Thessaloniki, the defining feature described is the combination of a specialist coffee shop and small-scale retail. In Patras, the report refers to an all-day operating model. For the core network, it confirms that changes are being made without specifying what they involve.

This distinction matters to franchise-sector readers: the company does not appear to have chosen a single new direction for all its stores. Instead, it is exploring several options in parallel. The available information does not establish that Loaded will replace the existing format or that the Patras concept will be introduced across the network.

The timeframe for decisions

As the report notes, the trials remain ongoing, with stores still being modified while trading. The indicated timeframe for settling on a direction is towards the end of 2026. This is an expectation about decision-making, not an announced schedule for a nationwide roll-out.

According to the report, Coffee Island has also been reorganising its Greek network for around two years. The new trials sit within this broader period of change. However, no information is provided that would link the reorganisation to a specific number of store conversions or a firm expansion programme for Loaded.

The distinction between piloting a concept and making it commercially available is significant. In the first case, the proposition is still taking shape. In the second, a prospective partner would need clear specifications, partnership terms and financial data. Such information is not included in the source material.

What this means for the franchise community

The news offers a concrete example of experimentation with store formats in the Greek franchise sector. Coffee Island is exploring how coffee and small-scale retail can work together, while continuing other trials in parallel. The interest lies in the direction of that exploration, rather than in sales or profitability results, as no such figures are disclosed in the report.

For existing and prospective partners, the next key questions concern the final shape of each concept, whether it will be offered as a franchise and the requirements for putting it into practice. These remain points to clarify, not decisions that can already be taken for granted.

Practical takeaway: Loaded is worth watching as a pilot concept. Before assessing it as an investment, prospective partners need confirmation from the company of the final format, its availability and the partnership terms.