“‘Their Coffee Is Good’: SA Cheers As Entrepreneur Bounces Back After Eskom Setback

• Stephan Bredell faced a significant setback early in his business career, which could have ended his entrepreneurial journey
• He and his brother later launched a coffee business in South Africa, taking their first steps into a new venture
• Their business has since caught the attention of people across the country, sparking conversations and reactions online

South African entrepreneur Stephan Bredell turned what could have been a crushing business defeat into a powerful comeback story, one that today fuels a beloved national coffee brand with hundreds of outlets and thousands of loyal customers.

Years before founding Platō Coffee, Stephanl’s first business was an energy efficiency startup called Liteswitch, which was undone by a sudden change in Eskom policy, which paused key rebate programmes and made the business model unsustainable.

Rather than letting the setback define him, Bredell pivoted and eventually co‑founded Platō Coffee with his brother Petrus, turning his entrepreneurial grit into something much bigger.

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What began in December 2019 as a modest container shop in Centurion has since blossomed into one of South Africa’s fastest‑growing coffee franchises. According to Mybroadband Platō now boasts over 130 branches nationwide, employs more than 500 people, and continues expanding into towns often bypassed by larger chains like Starbucks.

A key part of Platō’s success is rooted in quality and authenticity. The brothers established their own state‑of‑the‑art roastery, Blank Supplies, ensuring they control bean quality and supply consistently excellent coffee across all outlets.

Instead of competing solely in major metropolitan malls, Platō targeted lifestyle centres and smaller towns, building meaningful community hubs where people gather for more than just a cup, they come for connection.

Their growth has also been supported by innovation. Platō introduced South Africa’s first bank card‑linked loyalty system via the Platō app, giving customers automatic cashback rewards, a move that strengthened customer engagement nationwide.

From early struggles with Eskom to creating a coffee brand that now crosses borders, Stephan Bredell’s journey is truly one for the books, as it has gone on to inspire many people across the nation.

SA reacts to brothers’ Platō Coffee business

South Africans took to the comments section to express their thoughts on the two gentlemen’s ventures, saying:

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Grant Butler wrote:

"I love reading positive stories like this when something good is born out of something negative."

Georgie Georgiades stated:

"Well done. Congratulations! Wishing them continued success."

Daniela Fagnani said:

"Their coffee is good."

Desire van der Schyf expressed:

"Starbucks is so over rated agree with the reader above here, I think I make better coffee than they do."

Mariëtte de Villiers replied:

"Bigger than Starbucks in this country. I would rather do Plato than Starbucks any day!!"

Gary Martin commented:

"I'll definitely give this a taste, as I am not a Starbucks fan!"

More SA entrepreneurs

• Briefly News recently reported on a 21-year-old Johannesburg man who shared how he made enough money through e-commerce to buy two dream BMWs.
• In another story, Springbok legend Duane Vermeulen turned entrepreneur with the launch of his Free State café venture after retiring from rugby.
• A young entrepreneur's olive oil brand became the first black-owned olive oil to land on Woolworths' shelves.

Source: Briefly News