Budget Coffee Revolution Meets Berlin Resistance
Berlin's trendy neighborhoods have become battlegrounds in a coffee war that pits affordability against tradition. LAP Coffee, a German startup founded in 2023, has rapidly expanded across the capital with its distinctive electric blue storefronts and remarkably low prices.
The chain, whose name stands for Life Among People, now operates 16 outlets in Berlin with eight additional locations in Hamburg and Munich. Backed by heavyweight investors including Insight Partners and HV Capital, LAP has become both a popular destination for budget-conscious coffee drinkers and a lightning rod for community anger.
The Minimalist Coffee Experience
Walking into a LAP Coffee shop reveals a starkly different experience from traditional Berlin cafes. The interiors are deliberately sparse, encouraging customers to take Instagram-worthy selfies against the chic decor before leaving with their drinks in the chain's signature electric blue cups.
Behind the counter, the coffee-making process has been streamlined to near-automation. Staff members simply press a touchscreen to select drinks, with machines producing beverages without traditional grinding or filtering. This efficiency allows LAP to offer cappuccinos for just 2.50 euros ($2.90) - a significant discount in a country where coffee prices have surged by 21.3% over the past year.
"It's very fast!" remarked Artur Kluge, a 22-year-old student at a Prenzlauer Berg location. While he considers the coffee quality "pretty good," he acknowledges that "two or three euros is definitely a good price" for Berlin's increasingly expensive cafe scene.
Community Backlash and Red Paint Protests
Not all Berliners share Kluge's enthusiasm. The chain's rapid expansion has triggered visible protests, including several LAP locations being vandalized with red paint in October. Street posters throughout affected neighborhoods condemn what they call the "aggressive expansion" of the chain, describing it as the "rotten cherry on top of a gentrification process" that has displaced residents and small businesses.
The conflict is particularly acute in areas like Prenzlauer Berg, a former East Berlin neighborhood that had previously resisted international chains like McDonald's and Starbucks. The area now hosts six LAP branches, creating tension with established local cafes.
Umut Ekinci, owner of Auntie's Cafe located just minutes from a LAP outlet, watches the changes with concern. "All they have to do is press a button, serve the coffee, say goodbye and that's it," he observes. While acknowledging that "most people are happy with the prices," Ekinci believes LAP is "destroying the other small coffee businesses" by changing market expectations.
Founder's Defense and Investor Backing
LAP co-founder Ralph Hage, who previously worked for Red Bull and Standard Chartered investment bank, defends the business model. He told AFP that the company simply offers "fair prices and honest coffee to customers" and represents innovation in an industry that has seen "very little innovation in coffee in the last 30 years."
Hage emphasizes that LAP is not a multinational corporation but a "local business" that achieves lower prices through "efficiency and innovation on the preparation method." He claims the company remains "generally very open to dialogue" with concerned community members.
However, critics point to the chain's impressive investor roster as evidence of its corporate nature. Insight Partners specializes in high-growth technology and software, while HV Capital's portfolio includes transport company Flixbus and fashion giant Zalando.
The Gentrification Debate Intensifies
Mario, a 43-year-old social worker and anti-LAP activist who declined to give his full name, argues that the chain represents deeper urban changes. He believes LAP is "changing the city" by "setting new standards for what is paid for commercial space" in desirable residential areas.
"It's a chain that offers cheap coffee on the one hand but is also willing to pay extremely high rents on the other," Mario explains. This dynamic makes it "increasingly difficult for small, independent businesses that are not geared towards quick profits to find space at all."
The opposition has grown increasingly organized, with flyers appearing around neighborhoods making serious allegations about LAP's investors. These materials accuse the chain of being supported by "big investors involved in the development of military drones and AI-based weapons systems."
Mario warns of a bleak future if the trend continues: "If this trend continues, all we will have left is chains backed by large funds and luxury restaurants." The battle over LAP Coffee has become more than just a debate about caffeine - it's a struggle over the soul of Berlin's neighborhoods.
