Luckin Shareholder Centurium Reportedly Ready to Acquire Blue Bottle

Blue Bottle Coffee sign.

The controlling shareholder of China’s Luckin Coffee, Centurium Capital, is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire California-born specialty coffee chain Blue Bottle Coffee from Nestlé.

Chinese media outlet Yicai Global, citing LatePost, reported that a deal has been signed but not yet finalized. Bloomberg reported on March 4 that the Chinese investment firm was in “advanced talks” to acquire the chain, citing “people familiar with the situation.” In what it described as an “exclusive,” Chinese news outlet 36Kr said the “less than $400 million” deal includes Blue Bottle’s global coffee shop business, but Nestlé would retain Blue Bottle’s consumer goods business, including packaged coffee, instant coffee and ready-to-drink products. 

None of the companies involved have publicly confirmed a transaction. Daily Coffee News has reached out to Nestlé, Blue Bottle and Centurium seeking comment.  

Nestlé acquired a majority stake in California-born Blue Bottle Coffee in 2017 in a deal worth approximately $425 million, valuing the company at more than $700 million. The deal sent shockwaves through the specialty coffee world, continuing a trend toward big-money consolidation in craft-focused or “Third Wave” specialty coffee. 

According to numerous credible reports, Nestlé began exploring the sale of Blue Bottle Coffee last year, enlisting an investment bank to review options. Nestlé marketing materials say there are currently more than 100 Blue Bottle cafes across the United States and Asia. As of December 2025, Blue Bottle had 78 U.S. locations alone.

Luckin Coffee has grown to more than 30,000 locations globally.

Centurium and affiliated entities became the largest shareholder group in Chinese chain Luckin Coffee in 2022, after the chain agreed in 2020 to pay a $180 million penalty to settle charges brought by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission alleging company executives conspired to fabricate more than $300 million in sales to appease investors.

In recent years, Luckin has grown at breakneck speed, reporting 2025 revenue of about $7.03 billion. The company said it added 8,708 net new stores in 2025 to reach 31,048 locations globally by the year’s end. 

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