Franchise coffee shop chain Esquires Coffee has launched a refurbishment programme across its 24 stores as it looks to grow rapidly in the UK.
The company, which was founded in Canada in 1993 and has outlets around the world, has already refurbished its Durham and Stevenage stores with a contemporary new look, using natural materials and a focus on Fairtrade, organic coffee.
The majority of the company’s stores in the UK will sport the new look by the end of the year, including branches in Coventry and Harrow, which are due to be refurbished next month.
The rebranded Durham store saw a 19.2% uplift in same-store sales over the 29 weeks after it re-opened, while sales at the Stevenage store increased by 11.4% in the nine weeks after re-opening.
The company has also recently introduced more hot food items including hand-held pizzas, quiches, demi-baguettes, sausage rolls and pasties.
“The re-brand is all about positioning Esquires Coffee as a main player within the UK premium coffee market,” said marketing manager Kerry Noble.
Doug Williamson, UK managing director, said last year that he planned to double the number of Esquires Coffee Houses in Britain within two years. The company will open another store in Coventry next month and is looking for further sites, after recently signing deals with franchisees in Manchester and Bristol.
New Zealand company Cooks Global Foods owns the intellectual property and master franchising rights to Esquires Coffee Houses worldwide, excluding New Zealand and Australia, and has recently signed deals in China, Egypt and the Middle East to open more stores. It has plans to grow the business to more than 800 outlets worldwide by 2020.
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