Java House opened its second outlet in Thika on Monday, expanding its footprint in Kiambu County as the industrial town advances plans to become Kenya’s sixth city.
The new branch, located at Shell Makongeni, is the 111th Java House outlet in East Africa.
The company says the expansion is aimed at serving a growing population and increasing demand for spaces where people can meet, work, eat and socialise.
Thika’s push for city status gained momentum in July after the Senate Standing Committee on Devolution and Intergovernmental Relations recommended that the municipality be granted a city charter.
If approved through the required process, Thika would join Nairobi, Mombasa, Kisumu, Nakuru and Eldoret as Kenya’s sixth city.
The Senate committee said Thika’s application met the legal requirements for elevation, following public participation and physical verification of facilities and services within the municipality.
Speaking during the opening of the new Java House branch, Java House Africa Chief Operations Officer Naima Hassan said the company’s expansion reflected the changes taking place in the town.
“We are witnessing a new phase of urban growth in Thika, with a rapidly expanding population, growing residential and commercial developments, and increasing demand for more places for people to meet, eat and spend time together,” she said.
Hassan explained that Java House wanted to grow alongside the town as its commercial importance increases.
“As the town moves closer to attaining city status, we are proud to grow alongside Thika in response to the changing needs of the community and the town’s growing importance as a commercial hub,” she said.
Java House Africa Chief Operating Officer Naima Hassan (R) serves a customer during the official opening of the company’s new branch at Makongeni, Thika, on August 24, 2026. PHOTO/Handout
Thika has a population of 284,727, according to figures presented to the Senate committee during its consideration of the city status application.
The population exceeds the statutory threshold of 250,000 required for city status.
The town is also one of Kenya’s major industrial centres, with more than 1,000 industries involved in manufacturing, agro-processing and financial services, according to information presented during the city status hearings.
Its location along the Thika Superhighway, together with railway and road connections to Nairobi, northeastern Kenya and the Central Highlands, has strengthened its position as a strategic commercial centre.
Hassan said the company opened its first Thika outlet in 2024 and received a positive response from residents.
“Beyond buildings and infrastructure, urban growth is about how people experience and interact with their city. We play a role in that experience by creating welcoming spaces where people can come together,” she said.
“We first came into Thika in 2024, and the town received us with open arms. Now we are returning for our second branch in what will soon become a city. We are proud to be part of Thika’s growth and being part of its story going forward,” she added.
The company explained that Thika’s expanding education, financial and services sectors are contributing to a youthful urban population and creating demand for lifestyle businesses.
Java House said its latest outlet forms part of a wider strategy to expand in high-growth urban centres across Kenya.
Founded in 1999, Java House has grown from a coffee business into a casual dining chain operating across East Africa. It has three sister brands: Planet Yoghurt, 360 Degrees Pizza and Kukito.
Through the Java Foundation, the company says it supports farmers, local artists and schoolchildren through initiatives including its partnership with Food For Education.