Despite having giant competitors like Starbucks, which owns the lion’s share of the coffee shop market, Philadelphia-based La Colombe is holding its own, writes Gary Stern for Forbes.

The independent coffee chain has been expanding steadily since it began. It now has more than 30 outlets spreading from Pennsylvania to New York, Washington, D.C., and Los Angeles. It also has a line of juices and other cold beverages in supermarkets across the U.S.

But its biggest competition is from Starbucks’s range of hot and cold drinks. However, La Colombe has a competitive advantage with its draft lattes that are now available on supermarket shelves.

The business model is straightforward. Rather than building a large brick-and-mortar chain, La Colombe has created great-tasting drinks that consumers can get from cafés or in restaurants, but mostly from the store.

Now, more than 60 percent of its drinks sold are cold rather than hot. Research has shown that the best time for La Colombe sales are in the early afternoon when people want a boost.

Read more about La Colombe in Forbes here.

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