EspressoLab founders and existing shareholders to retain 30% under deal with UAE’s MEER

UAE-based MEER Group’s agreement with the owner of coffee chain EspressoLab involves more than the transfer of a majority stake: the founders and existing shareholders will also retain a 30% holding. For those interested in the UAE franchise market, this detail offers a starting point for understanding the proposed partnership. However, continued ownership must be distinguished from any management role, details of which have not been announced.

A retained stake, not a complete exit

According to a report published by Turkish news website Manşet Haber on 25 September 2026, an agreement has been signed to sell 70% of the issued share capital of Eslab, the owner of Turkish coffee chain EspressoLab, to UAE-based MEER Group. The sale price has not been disclosed, and completion remains subject to the necessary regulatory approvals.

Under the announced structure, the founders and existing shareholders will retain 30% of the company. The agreement therefore does not involve the purchase of the entire share capital or the departure of all previous owners. Instead, it transfers majority ownership while leaving them with a stake. This is the key detail when considering continuity of ownership.

However, the report does not break down that holding between the founders and other shareholders, or specify each party’s individual stake. It would therefore be inaccurate to say that the founders alone will own 30%. Nor can voting arrangements or board representation be inferred from the aggregate percentage published.

What ownership does—and does not—tell us about management

Existing shareholders remaining part of the ownership structure is not the same as confirmation that they will continue to manage the business. The available information does not name the executives who will lead the company after completion, explain how authority will be divided between MEER and the sellers, or indicate whether the brand’s founders will retain specific responsibilities.

Business owners interested in brands with an international presence should therefore read the announcement carefully. The ownership percentage is specified, but decision-making processes and management arrangements fall outside the published information. These details may matter when assessing a future relationship with the brand, but they cannot automatically be inferred from the sellers retaining a minority stake.

The report contains no public commitment to retain the management team, no description of the founders’ role in product development, and no timetable for operational changes. Describing the agreement as guaranteeing continuity of the current management would therefore go beyond the available evidence. More precisely, the announced structure keeps the founders and existing shareholders as equity partners, provided the transaction is completed.

An international step for MEER, with clear limits to the available information

The report places the agreement in the context of MEER’s development, stating that it would be the group’s first international acquisition since its shares began trading on the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange in late 2024. This gives the news its UAE significance: a group based in the country is seeking a majority holding in the owner of a Turkish coffee brand, while the current owners retain a stake.

That timeframe matters. The statement relates to the period since trading began and is not, on its own, sufficient to describe the group’s entire history. Likewise, signing the agreement does not mean the ownership transfer has been completed—an essential distinction when discussing the partnership’s current status.

The undisclosed sale price also limits any financial assessment of the agreement. The report does not allow readers to calculate the company’s valuation, compare the stake’s price with the brand’s performance, or estimate the buyer’s financial commitment. It also provides no figures for revenue, profit or outlet numbers, and does not link the transaction to a stated numerical expansion target.

What does the news mean for the UAE franchise sector?

For the franchise sector, the agreement signals a proposed change in ownership of a brand-owning company, rather than the launch of new franchise opportunities in the UAE. The published report does not identify local openings, development rights within the country, or terms for agreements with new investors. The buyer’s UAE base should not be taken as evidence of an announced UAE expansion plan.

When assessing any future opportunity involving the brand, the published information can help frame questions rather than support firm conclusions: who will have the authority to grant rights? Will management arrangements be announced? What geographical territory would any potential offer cover? These are questions for subsequent due diligence, not details disclosed in the published agreement.

Practical takeaway: What is established is an agreement to transfer majority ownership to MEER, with the founders and existing shareholders retaining 30%. Investment or contractual decisions will require separate information on rights, management and plans for the UAE market—not ownership percentages alone.