Many city-dwellers crave a cup of rich, aromatic coffee in the morning. Walking into the CuppaCoffee store nearby Praia Grande, Macao, you will be greeted with the mouth-watering scent of freshly baked bread and hot brewed coffee that permeates the shop. One of the founders of the brand, Cristiana Figueiredo, explained that ‘in Europe, people tend to visit coffee shops for relaxation or for work; and that, 20 years ago, when we arrived to Macau, the coffee shop lifestyle of Europe was not very common in Macao. From there came the idea of opening a coffee shop in Macao with the hope of promoting Portuguese delicacies and coffee culture’.

Various self-produced pastry products

Ensuring authentic Portuguese flavour through strict quality control from production to purchase

        With the purpose of ensuring the quality of service and products, by controlling the whole food production process, Cristiana Figueiredo and Rui Alves established a baking factory, Nata Artisan Bakery, in 2007, dedicated to the daily production of various Portuguese breads, cakes and biscuits for their bakery stores, as well as for other local coffee stores, restaurants and hotels.

        When Nata Artisan Bakery became fully established, they opened the first CuppaCoffee store in Taipa, in 2008, to serve mainly authentic Portuguese coffees and pastries. To accommodate the demands of different customers, the CuppaCoffee offers European and American coffee products, conscious choices by using healthy ingredients, and offering greener vegetarian and vegan options, all to satisfy customers who are in pursuit of a healthier diet.

Founder Cristiana Figueiredo supporting ‘Macao Brand’ and ‘Made in Macao’

Online sales have risen exponetially amid the epidemic

        Taking into consideration the growing preference for convenience, Nata Artisan Bakery has provided one-stop services from online ordering and payment to home delivery since 2015. These services became a life-line for the company, especially during the onset of the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020. As the turnover of the physical stores plunged, the online turnover rose significantly, helping the company suffer less losses through the most difficult time.

        Aware of the significance of the online platform, in the last couple of years, company decided to put greater effort into online promotion and added resources into brand pages on social media platforms popular among customers, such as Facebook and Instagram, in order to elevate the company’s profile, making customers appreciate the brands, and expanding the customer base. 

Authentic Portuguese egg tarts freshly baked every day

Portuguese pastries provided to large hotels and catering enterprises

        In terms of the direction of future development, CuppaCoffee is not eager for rapid development, but rather to transform in response to the development in Macao. At present, the company has finished trademark registrations in Mainland China, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore; in the long run, it hopes to meet eligible business partners and introduce these Macao brands to Mainland China, Southeast Asia, and other Asian countries, so that more and more people will savour the distinctive delicacies that feature both Portuguese and Macao flavours and lifestyle.

Interior of the CuppaCoffee

The CuppaCoffee in Praia Grande, Macao

Contact NATA

If you are interested in discussing co-operation with the above-mentioned company, please contact the staff of “Macao Ideas” during office hours.

Tel.: 

Ms Cheang +853 8798 9707

Ms Chong +853 8798 9739

Email: 

fionacheang@ipim.gov.mo 

elizachong@ipim.gov.mo