Overview
Havanna is an Argentine confectionery and café brand best known for alfajores: filled biscuits, typically containing dulce de leche, with a chocolate or other sweet coating. Its business brings together branded packaged products and cafés, giving it a different commercial identity from chains built primarily around takeaway coffee. Customers can buy something to eat immediately, sit down for refreshments or purchase boxes as gifts.
That combination is central to the brand's franchise appeal. An outlet can serve several purchasing occasions rather than relying exclusively on a morning coffee habit. However, the strength of those occasions varies by location: recognition among Argentine consumers and travellers does not automatically translate into equivalent demand in a new overseas market.
History and growth
Havanna was founded in 1948 in Mar del Plata, the Atlantic coastal city closely associated with Argentina's holiday trade. Its alfajores became linked to the custom of taking confectionery home from a seaside visit. This connection between product, place and gifting helped establish a national identity before the brand developed its broader café presence.
Expansion into cafés gave Havanna a setting in which to sell its products alongside coffee and other refreshments. International development subsequently took the name beyond Argentina, supported by franchising and local commercial partners. The important distinction is that Havanna did not begin as a generic coffee-shop concept: its café business grew around an established confectionery brand and a recognisable signature product.
Global footprint
Argentina remains Havanna's home market, while Brazil is a prominent part of its international café presence. The brand has also established outlets in other Latin American markets and in Spain. Its reach includes both branded cafés and the sale of packaged confectionery, but these channels should not be treated as interchangeable measures of the store network.
A single, consistently defined current total for worldwide cafés is not provided here. Published descriptions can refer to different reporting periods and distinguish differently between cafés, kiosks and other points of sale. Prospective operators should obtain a dated network breakdown from the relevant franchisor, including the balance between company-operated and franchised sites and the number operating in their intended territory.
How the franchise model works
Franchising is an established route through which Havanna operates and expands its café network. At outlet level, the proposition combines the Havanna name, branded confectionery and an approved café offer. Local operators are expected to deliver the customer experience within the brand's operating framework rather than develop an independent bakery or coffee concept using the name.
The contractual structure can differ between countries, particularly where development is managed through a local partner. Applicants should establish who grants the franchise, who supplies the products and who provides operational support. They should also clarify whether the opportunity concerns one outlet or wider development rights. Availability in one market does not establish that the same format or commercial terms are offered elsewhere.
Investment and requirements
There is no single globally applicable Havanna franchise fee or investment range. A standard worldwide schedule is not publicly disclosed, and figures advertised for a particular country or format should not be presented as universal. Prospective franchisees should request the franchise disclosure documents, where applicable, together with a current investment schedule and the proposed agreement from the relevant market operator.
The opening budget needs to distinguish the franchise payment from fit-out, coffee equipment, furniture, signage, initial stock, premises costs and working capital. Taxes, freight and import arrangements may also matter outside Argentina. Applicants should ask separately about recurring royalties, marketing contributions, mandatory purchasing and refurbishment obligations. These are areas for verification, not confirmation that every Havanna agreement imposes the same charges.
What franchisees should consider
Site selection requires attention to the balance between café visits and packaged-product purchases. A tourist location, shopping centre and neighbourhood high street may generate quite different baskets and trading patterns. Assessment should therefore go beyond pedestrian numbers to consider customer familiarity with alfajores, gifting demand, nearby competition and the suitability of the premises for the proposed service format.
Product sourcing is another practical consideration. Operators need clarity on delivery frequency, shelf life, storage requirements and responsibility for disruption or damaged stock. In markets dependent on imported products, currency movements and customs procedures can affect costs and availability. Menu flexibility, staff training, territory protection and renewal conditions also warrant scrutiny, alongside discussions with existing operators about the day-to-day demands of running the business.
Competitive landscape
Havanna competes across overlapping markets rather than within a single category. For coffee and a place to meet, alternatives include Starbucks, Juan Valdez and local independent cafés. For sweet snacks and takeaway treats, Dunkin' and Cinnabon are relevant comparisons. Bakery-cafés such as Le Pain Quotidien compete for some of the same sit-down occasions, although their menus and positioning differ.
The alfajor range provides a clear point of distinction, particularly where customers already associate Havanna with Argentine confectionery. The challenge elsewhere is to turn product curiosity into repeat purchasing. Comparisons between franchise opportunities should therefore examine the actual local proposition, including average purchase occasions, menu breadth and supply arrangements, rather than assuming all coffee-and-bakery brands share the same operating economics.
Outlook
Havanna's development prospects rest on the portability of its confectionery identity and the ability of its cafés to attract regular local customers. Packaged products give the brand a route into gifting and take-home consumption alongside hospitality. That breadth can be useful, but it also requires operators to manage retail presentation and stock as well as beverage preparation and service.
Future expansion should be judged by the durability of individual markets and outlets rather than headline openings alone. Consistent product availability, appropriate sites and effective local execution remain important. For prospective franchisees, the central question is whether Havanna's distinctive Argentine offer has a credible everyday audience in the proposed catchment, supported by transparent terms and a workable supply chain.
Havanna franchise: frequently asked questions
How much does a Havanna franchise cost?
Havanna does not publicly disclose a single globally applicable franchise fee or investment range. Costs depend on the country, outlet format, premises and local agreement. Prospective franchisees should request the franchise disclosure documents, where applicable, and an itemised investment schedule covering opening costs, working capital, recurring payments and mandatory purchasing requirements.
How many Havanna locations are there?
Havanna operates an international café network centred on Argentina, with Brazil a prominent overseas market. A verified, consistently defined current worldwide outlet total is not supplied here. Counts may distinguish between cafés, kiosks and other sales channels, so applicants should request a dated breakdown of operating outlets in their target market.
Where did Havanna originate?
Havanna was founded in 1948 in Mar del Plata, Argentina. It became known for alfajores, which were closely associated with gifts brought home from seaside holidays. Its subsequent café expansion built on that confectionery heritage, combining coffee and refreshments with products sold for immediate consumption, gifting and take-home purchases.
Can you open a Havanna franchise outside Argentina?
Havanna has expanded internationally through franchising and local commercial partners, but availability depends on the territory. An existing presence in a country does not necessarily mean new franchise applications are being accepted. Applicants should contact the brand or authorised local operator to confirm available locations, formats, development rights and current application requirements.
What makes Havanna different from other coffee franchises?
Havanna's identity is rooted in Argentine confectionery, especially alfajores, rather than coffee alone. Its outlets combine café service with packaged products that customers can buy as gifts or take home. This creates a different mix of purchasing occasions, although local brand awareness and demand need to be assessed for each proposed site.
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Figures are approximate and based on publicly reported information. Franchise costs and terms change; prospective franchisees should obtain the brand’s current disclosure documents and take independent legal and financial advice. Profile updated October 2026.