South Korean coffee chain Caffe Bene is betting big on the Southeast Asian market as it aims to operate 140 stores in the region by 2017.

Southeast Asia is the fourth region in which the company has opened outlets, starting with the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam, according to company officials. With two more shops having opened in Malaysia last month, Caffe Bene now has 17 cafes in Southeast Asia.

“We’re striving to become a representative South Korean coffee brand that leads the K-dessert and coffee wave, through developing various menu items that add a one-of-a-kind local flavor,” Kim Kun-dong, a Caffe Bene spokesman, said in a statement Tuesday.

Instead of becoming “another Starbucks,” the coffee brand chose to differentiate itself by localizing everything from its service strategies to its food and drink items.

Focusing on in-store services and design is one example. The company said it took the region’s weather and culture into consideration when selecting comfortable furniture and summer menu items, including bingsu (ground ice with sweet toppings).

“When we were first entering the Vietnamese market, we developed an Italian gelato with mango and sesame flavors, which are widely enjoyed by locals,” Kim said. “Likewise, we are selling passion fruit ade and smoothies in Cambodia, which are not sold in other countries.”

Less than four years after entering Southeast Asia, such marketing efforts are beginning to pay off.

Company officials said the Facebook page of its Vietnamese store had received 116,000 likes in the five months since it opened in August.

Caffe Bene plans to build a stronger foothold in Southeast Asia this year by entering the market of Singapore, Brunei and Thailand.

By Suk Gee-hyun (monicasuk@heraldcorp.com)