Last April, Bacha Coffee opened its first European flagship store in the heart of the Champs-Élysées, celebrating Arabica coffee with elegance and ambition. Behind this controlled expansion is Taha Bouqdib, a discreet but influential entrepreneur at the head of the V3 Gourmet group (TWG Tea, Bacha Coffee, Le Cabestan, Lily’s, Maison Alexis, etc.).
At the crossroads of entrepreneurship, diplomacy, and culture, he embodies a global, committed, and resolutely contemporary vision of luxury.
Luxus Magazine met with him to discuss his inspiration, his love of coffee, and his concept of refinement.
Taha Bouqdib, a French-Moroccan entrepreneur born in Rabat in 1969, is a leading figure in the international luxury industry. With over 30 years of experience in high-end distribution, he has established himself as a visionary in the art of designing, developing, and rolling out exceptional concepts. From Paris to Marrakech, via Rabat and Singapore, where he now lives, he has built a career based on excellence, creativity and a keen understanding of the expectations of luxury customers.
Founder of the V3 Gourmet group, he is behind TWG Tea, a luxury tea brand launched in 2008 and now present in more than 50 countries. He also orchestrated the rebirth of Bacha Coffee, a historic establishment that has been relocated to the Dar el Bacha in Marrakech. This ambitious project paved the way for the brand’s rapid expansion, which now has a presence in 11 countries with around 30 prestigious locations. Bacha Coffee offers a unique collection of more than 200 100% Arabica coffees, accompanied by immersive coffee experiences.
Combining operational rigor with a culture of lifestyle, Taha Bouqdib stands out for his ability to embody contemporary luxury rooted in heritage values. His keen eye for detail and passion for aesthetics earned him the DFA Design Leadership Award from the Hong Kong Design Center. He sits on the board of directors of the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development (AMDIE), is Honorary Consul of Morocco in Singapore, and has been awarded the rank of Officer of the National Order of Merit by His Majesty King Mohammed VI.
INTERVIEW:
Luxus Magazine: What prompted you to relaunch Bacha Coffee, a historic brand founded in Marrakech in 1910?
Taha Bouqdib: I had the immense privilege of being invited to breathe new life into Bacha Coffee, and I accepted without hesitation. The inspiration came to me the day I rediscovered the Dar El Bacha café in Marrakech. As soon as I entered this place steeped in history, I was deeply moved. There was an almost sacred silence, an atmosphere of serenity that gave the impression of a sleeping beauty—a forgotten jewel of Moroccan heritage.
As a Moroccan, I felt a deep responsibility to revive this iconic place with the utmost care. For two years, we worked to restore the space while respecting its soul, its architecture, and its heritage status, with the ambition of revealing all its original splendor.
The response was immediate and overwhelming. Visitors from all over the world returned day after day. It was then that I realized we had recreated something precious. Since then, Bacha Coffee has grown to 33 locations in 12 major cities around the world. Yet wherever we go, the soul of the brand remains deeply Moroccan. What we have built goes beyond the simple concept of a coffee house—it is a celebration of heritage and connection.
Luxus Magazine: How has your past experience in tea (TWG Tea) influenced your approach to coffee?
Taha Bouqdib: It taught me that an exceptional product deserves to be showcased—it needs its own universe, its own vocabulary. At TWG Tea, we created an immersive world that celebrated ritual and sensory pleasure. With Bacha Coffee, I applied this same philosophy to the world of 100% Arabica coffee, offering much more than a product: an experience rooted in tradition. Each cup becomes a moment of discovery.
An essential lesson: the absolute demand for quality and consistency. We select the best harvests and roast them according to our most demanding standards. We have set up centers of expertise close to our stores.
But beyond the product, I have retained the importance of emotion. At Bacha Coffee, every detail counts, from the aroma of the beans to the quality of the packaging.
The ambition remains the same: to awaken the five senses. This conviction, that the experience is as important as the product itself, inspires everything we do.
Luxus Magazine: Why did you choose Singapore as the starting point for the rebirth of Bacha Coffee?
Taha Bouqdib: After several years in Singapore, I was able to appreciate the exceptional energy and ambition that drive this city. It is a global hub, perfectly in tune with the standards we wanted to embody.
Singapore offers an ideal base: proximity to markets, logistical efficiency, and a pool of talent. We have capitalized on this solid foundation to build a meaningful brand capable of expanding internationally.
It is this discipline that guides our expansion into new markets, including Europe—and, naturally, Paris. Bringing Bacha Coffee to Paris has a special meaning. France embodies craftsmanship, heritage, and ritual—values that are at the heart of our brand.
Luxus Magazine: Coffee becomes a way of life at Bacha, with particular importance given to scenography and storytelling. What do you want to convey through this experience?
Taha Bouqdib: Our ambition is to transform the act of drinking coffee into a ritual. As soon as a customer steps through the door of one of our shops, they are transported to another world: the aroma of 100% Arabica beans, Moroccan hospitality, lighting, background music. Every detail is carefully thought out.
Scenography and storytelling are at the heart of our world. Everything—from the slow roasting process to the golden coffee makers, checkerboard floors, and carved cedar wood—reflects our commitment to craftsmanship. What we offer is a journey. Our Coffee Masters are passionate guides. This commitment transforms a cup of coffee into an unforgettable experience.
Even when you order to go, every gesture is designed to make the experience authentic. It’s about creating a space for connection, wherever you are.
Luxus Magazine: What are your next flagship openings or upcoming projects?
Taha Bouqdib: We have opened iconic locations in Paris, Seoul, and Hong Kong. Paris is just the beginning of our European adventure. The Middle East remains at the heart of our development priorities. In Asia, our next signature location, a five-story standalone flagship in Ginza, Japan, represents a key milestone in our global ambition.
We are also exploring travel retail, ultra-selective boutiques, and personalized digital experiences. Everywhere we go, we pursue one goal: to make every coffee moment a memorable experience.
Luxus Magazine: What is your ultimate dream for Bacha Coffee?
Taha Bouqdib: My dream is for Bacha Coffee to become a global benchmark for 100% Arabica coffee—a House that redefines the coffee experience while remaining rooted in its heritage. Bacha Coffee is more than a brand: it is a living House, founded on tradition, innovation, craftsmanship, and emotion.
When I relaunched the brand, I saw a gap in the market: there were excellent coffees available, but coffee as a gift that conveys beauty and meaning was missing. Bacha Coffee was born out of this conviction: to offer a captivating destination where you can discover the world’s finest Arabica coffees, and where the art of giving coffee becomes a precious gesture.
Quality is our foundation, without compromise. Without it, development has no meaning. By 2030, I want our company to shine in major capitals from New York to Beijing, embodying the same sensory excellence everywhere. My ambition is to build a global brand, embraced by diverse cultures, where each cup creates an intimate and emotional connection.
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Featured photo: Taha Bouqdib © Bacha Coffee
