“Black Sheep Coffee Bishopsgate” by Jös is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.
UK-born coffee chain Black Sheep Coffee is preparing a major push in the United States through a 20-unit franchise agreement for North Texas with one of its existing UK franchisees, Yoloways Ltd.
Yoloways announced the deal last week, approximately 19 months after Black Sheep opened its first U.S. location, in Plano, Texas. The new agreement proposes adding at least 20 stores over the next five years across the Metroplex, including confirmed locations in Bedford, Plano, Rowlett and Grapevine.
The companies did not disclose financial terms of the agreement, including development costs or franchise fees. Minimum requirements for U.S. franchisees, according to Black Sheep’s U.S. website, include a commitment to at least 10 locations and cash or liquid assets of at least $1 million, plus multi-unit operations experience.
The first U.S. Black Sheep Coffee location in Plano, Texas. 2024 courtesy photo by Black Sheep.
The North Texas deal adds to an increasingly competitive chain landscape in Texas, where brands including Dutch Bros, Black Rock Coffee Bar and 7 Brew have added scores of units in recent years. Dutch Bros has opened more than 220 Texas locations since entering the state in 2021, while Black Rock has opened 45 stores statewide as of late 2025. 7 Brew, meanwhile, has been expanding aggressively across the U.S., with Texas among its largest growth markets, with at least 48 locations as of the end of 2024.
Founded in 2013 by Gabriel Shohet and Eirik Holth, Black Sheep Coffee has differentiated itself by leaning heavily into specialty-grade robusta for its coffee drinks. The company has said that 85% of its coffee sales are “specialty-grade” robusta.
In 2019, DCN reported the company secured a $16 million investment round and acquired eight Taylor St. Baristas shops in the UK, while signaling its broader international ambitions.
The company has since signed an aggressive franchising agreement in the Middle East while expanding globally to approximately 130 locations. The company currently lists six U.S. locations as open, including four in the Dallas-Forth Worth area, one in Austin and one in Miami.
Comments? Questions? News to share? Contact DCN’s editors here. For all the latest coffee industry news, subscribe to the DCN newsletter.
Related Posts
Comment