Posted:08-May-2025
Gong cha appoints Justus Haller as General Manager, Growth Markets
Gong cha, one of the world’s fastest-growing global tea brands, is pleased to announce the appointment of Justus Haller as its new General Manager, Growth Markets, effective May 2025.
With 10 years experience working for leading brands across Europe, Haller brings strong expertise in hospitality, finance and franchising to Gong cha. He joins the Group from Burger King Deutschland – Germany’s second largest QSR brand - where he spent over six years, most recently serving as its Chief Financial Officer. Haller also previously held several senior roles at Burger King Deutschland, including Director of Finance, IT & Supply and Head of Finance & IT. During his tenure, Haller led several franchisee acquisitions, renegotiated the master franchise agreement, and was part of the management team that successfully sold Burger King Deutschland to a private equity investor. Prior to Burger King Deutschland, he spent more than three years at Restaurant Brands International in Switzerland, where he served most recently as Senior Manager, Area Franchise Lead.
In his role as General Manager, Growth Markets, he will be responsible for Gong cha’s operations across Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) as well as Asia-Pacific (APAC). As part of this, Haller will be responsible for working closely with Gong cha Global’s new UK franchisee, Jinziex, following its agreement to open at least 225+ new sites in the UK and make Gong cha the clear UK market leader.
Building on Gong cha’s existing footprint of 2,100+ stores, Haller will also explore opportunities to add new master franchisees in markets with high growth potential across EMEA and APAC. Additionally, he will work alongside existing master franchisees to unlock sustainable growth opportunities and scale up their operations. This will include supporting local teams in expanding their market position, driving growth opportunities through operational efficiencies, and enhancing brand loyalty through unique customer experiences that champion high-quality, whole-leaf tea.
Paul Reynish, Global CEO of Gong cha, commented: "We’re delighted to welcome Justus to our global team. As we work towards our ambitious goal of scaling to 10,000 sites by 2032, Justus’ experience in franchisee operations, finance, and management will be crucial for shaping the next phase of our development in EMEA and APAC. I look forward to seeing the innovative ideas and drive he’ll bring to our EMEA and APAC expansion!”
Justus Haller, General Manager, Growth Markets at Gong cha, said: “I’m incredibly excited to join Gong cha, with its high-quality, whole tea from exclusive suppliers stands head and shoulders above the rest. I can’t wait to start working with Paul and the team to drive the next phase of Gong cha’s global growth and cement it as the market leading bubble tea brand across more of its markets.
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