30th October 2008
Source; http://www.coffeerepublic.co.uk/photocomp/index.php
The Coffee Republic photography competition
An exciting and unique photographic competition in collaboration with Digital Photographer Magazine and Park Cameras.
Coffee Republic are the oldest chain of coffee bars in the country and since 2006 we have expanded rapidly and now operate over 150 Delis and Concessions across the UK. We launched an International franchising operation in 2007. We are in the process of a complete website redevelopment. As part of this process we are seeking new images for our bar locations and to update our library of general stock images. Win £1000 of camera equipment vouchers, coffee vouchers and your images published on the Coffee Republic website.
Digital Photographer is the UK’s fastest growing photography magazine. It delivers in-depth digital SLR camera reviews, interviews with leading digital photographers, image-editing tutorials and inspirational career-building advice for photographers who want to maximize their potential and improve their skills.
Park Cameras has been established for over 35 years and are based in Burgess Hill, West Sussex. The company is widely recognised as one of the UK’s leading independent retailers, recently being awarded the Pixel Independent Retailer of the Year 2008 Award.
Entry
The Coffee Republic Photo Contest is open to all UK photographers, professional or amateur. (Except for employees of Coffee Republic Plc, their families or anyone else associated with this competition.)
All entrants under the age of 18, must provide a parent/guardian consent form in writing. Forms can be downloaded from the Coffee Republic website. We are accepting applications online now. Please do not wait until the deadline - it is important you send your images (and if you need them, model releases) as soon as possible. This will ensure entrants have a better chance of their images being published on the Coffee Republic website. Images must be JPEG images and not exceed 3 megabytes each. Please compress images that are larger than this. Only colour images will be accepted. You may supply up to five images per coffee bar. One of those images must be an exterior photograph.
Multiple entries are accepted. You can enter as many different bar locations as you wish and up to a maximum of five images per bar. Each bar entry must be uploaded separately and the details filled in as requested. To find your nearest bar, download the photography competition leaflet or take a look at the bar location page on this site.
New CR Deli in Ilford
30th October 2008
Coffee Republic opened on Monday October 20, 2008 just off the pedestrianised High Street shopping area in Ilford. Just minutes from Ilford station, the store is operated by Upendra Trivedi, a franchisee with a wealth of retail experience.
Coffee Republic opened on Monday October 20, 2008 just off the pedestrianised High Street shopping area in Ilford. Just minutes from Ilford station, the store is operated by Upendra Trivedi, a franchisee with a wealth of retail experience.
Pubs encouraged to capitalise on coffee sales
22nd October 2008
Source; http://www.cokepubandbar.co.uk/CokePubandBar/lic_news.jsp?article=18838364
Publicans should consider selling high-quality coffee in order to pull in customers, according to industry experts.
Sam Pedder, head of food at Admiral Taverns, issued the advice at a recent PubChef event.
Landlords were encouraged to compete with high street outlets and offer non-alcoholic drinks.
Ms Pedder stated that pubs which offer coffee may be viewed more positively by potential customers.
"If you are doing coffee well, the customers are going to think you're doing everything else well too," she said.
"Match the high street where relevant and beat them at their own game when they are closed or not in the vicinity."
Pubs intending to sell coffee should make sure they have an adequate machine, the correct utensils and a popular brand of the drink to offer to its customers.
Last year, brewer Greene King announced that it would be working with Coffee Republic to in order to sell the beverage in 28 of its London pubs.
Source; http://www.cokepubandbar.co.uk/CokePubandBar/lic_news.jsp?article=18838364
Publicans should consider selling high-quality coffee in order to pull in customers, according to industry experts.
Sam Pedder, head of food at Admiral Taverns, issued the advice at a recent PubChef event.
Landlords were encouraged to compete with high street outlets and offer non-alcoholic drinks.
Ms Pedder stated that pubs which offer coffee may be viewed more positively by potential customers.
"If you are doing coffee well, the customers are going to think you're doing everything else well too," she said.
"Match the high street where relevant and beat them at their own game when they are closed or not in the vicinity."
Pubs intending to sell coffee should make sure they have an adequate machine, the correct utensils and a popular brand of the drink to offer to its customers.
Last year, brewer Greene King announced that it would be working with Coffee Republic to in order to sell the beverage in 28 of its London pubs.
Edinburgh-based CR Deli bucking the trend
20th October
Source; http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/other/display.var.2461385.0.coffee_chain_feels_pain_of_caffeine_cutbacks.php
By Julia Horton, The Herald
CAFE chain Coffee Republic yesterday blamed the "toughening" economic climate for a downfall in sales as credit crisis-hit customers cut back on their daily lattes.
Source; http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/other/display.var.2461385.0.coffee_chain_feels_pain_of_caffeine_cutbacks.php
By Julia Horton, The Herald
CAFE chain Coffee Republic yesterday blamed the "toughening" economic climate for a downfall in sales as credit crisis-hit customers cut back on their daily lattes.
Like-for-like sales from April to September were down 0.2%, despite an initial 2.5% rise between April and June, signalling a significant downturn in the past three months.
The company said the fall in sales "reflected a toughening climate".
However, it also claimed that it had begun to reverse the trend with more aggressive sales and marketing activity. Newly-opened bars have been helping to boost the chain's fortunes, including an outlet at St Andrew Square in Edinburgh opposite the historic headquarters of the troubled Royal Bank of Scotland.
There was no obvious sign of people cutting back on spending there yesterday as a dozen or so customers enjoyed a drink.
Cafe director Paul Anderson said: "Our like-for-like sales are up every week. Obviously it's a new shop. I think it depends a lot on location but we're doing fine. Our busiest hour is still 8am to 9am when people buy coffees on their way to work."
Staff at RBS, where the cafe holds its business accounts, also seemed to show no sign of cutting back on their hot drinks with an order of 24 coffees placed with Mr Anderson yesterday.
However, one customer said that she tended not to buy coffee from outlets any more because of the economic downturn.
Kelly Drew, a 32-year-old Edinburgh marketing executive enjoying a coffee with her mother who was visiting for the weekend, said: "Personally it's a rarity for me for that reason. I don't really buy coffees as a rule in the morning because you can make your own and it's a lot cheaper."
Meanwhile, Coffee Republic has secured a key concession deal with cinema chain Cineworld which it expects to increase sales as customers flock to see blockbusters such as the new James Bond film, Quantum of Solace.
The chain has 195 outlets internationally, including 184 in the UK.
TRADING UPDATE - Coffee Republic Plc
17th October 2008
Coffee Republic PLC, the independent coffeehouse franchisor and operator, announces a trading update in advance of its AGM today.
The business now operates in 195 outlets both in the UK and Internationally. Of the 184 UK outlets 19 are company run, 51 are franchises and 114 are concessions.
In the first six months of the year, network like for like sales are down 0.2% (excluding those bars recently returned to company ownership), reflecting a toughening climate; more aggressive sales and marketing activity has begun to reverse that trend and total network sales growth in the UK is now 20%, driven by newly opened bars.
Operating losses to the end of August have reduced by almost 40% compared to prior year, driven by increased franchise income, the success of the Cineworld concession deal and increased control over head office cost, and the Board expects that the half year results will reflect this improvement.
The board continues to focus on driving the business both in the UK and internationally, and pipelines in both areas remain encouraging despite the general economic climate.
Coffee Republic start trial with Projuice
14th October 2008
Smooth operators get taste for healthy profits
A fruit drinks enterprise intends to be more than just flavour of the month
Source; The Times (Steve Hemsley)
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/entrepreneur/article4934963.ece
As any area sales manager will tell you, you spend a lot of time in coffee shops when you’re on the road. When Paul Ford was in between client visits for electronics company Panasonic, he would note down how a particular cafe looked and his opinions of the menu and the service he received.
This was not some bizarre hobby but valuable research. The bestpractice reference guide he compiled proved to be useful when he left the corporate world to launch his own juice bar, Fresh Xpresss, in Barnstaple, Devon, six years ago.
Unfortunately, Ford, now 38, failed to appreciate just how crowded this sector was about to become as health-conscious consumers got a taste for fruit juices and smoothies. After opening another outlet at nearby Braunton, he shelved his plans for 15 Fresh Xpresss bars across the southwest and followed a new direction.
He realised there wasmoney to be made from supplying juice-bar equipment and training to his growing list of local competitors and to the hundreds of similar bars opening up across the UK. The hours he had spent observing the country’s cafe culture, plus the £182,000 he invested in his two shops, had taught him a lot. Ford felt there was a lack of knowledge among potential and existing juice and cafe-bar owners about what equipment they needed, how to train staff effectively and which promotions work best to ensure people visit time and again.
In 2003 he formed Projuice and began supplying this burgeoning retail sector. Initially, he continued to run his two Fresh Xpresss outlets, but within 12 months these were sold as he threw himself full-time into Projuice. In 2005 he launched a juice and smoothie bar training academy in Exeter. “I made £140,000 profit from the sale of Fresh Xpresss and all this money went into Projuice because I realised there was such a massive gap in the market,” he says.
Projuice helps with drafting business plans, sourcing and supplying smoothie and juice equipment, devising branding ideas and advising on bar layout and design, as well as training the owners and their staff on how to make drinks.
“We practically wrap bar owners in cotton wool until they are ready to open or we act as troubleshooters for bars that are going through difficult times,” says Ford. “People keep their own brand and run their own business. This is not a franchise arrangement, but we do have a relationship which is good for them and for us.”
Projuice works with more than 800 juice bars around the UK and supplies another 2,500 cafes with what Ford calls “juice-bar concepts”. These include “smoothie in a bag” products for cafes that do not want a full juice bar — they need only a blender to add these drinks to their menu. Among Projuice’s concept customers are the supermarket group Budgens and cafe chain Coffee Republic.
Ford’s business is a family affair nowadays, with his brother, David, and sister, Sarah, on board as directors. He predicts that turnover will rise from £2m to £3.8m this year and could top £4.8m in 2009. Ford expects sales to reach £10m by 2013, when he hopes to sell out to a corporate food services company but remain involved in the business.
Smooth operators get taste for healthy profits
A fruit drinks enterprise intends to be more than just flavour of the month
Source; The Times (Steve Hemsley)
http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/entrepreneur/article4934963.ece
As any area sales manager will tell you, you spend a lot of time in coffee shops when you’re on the road. When Paul Ford was in between client visits for electronics company Panasonic, he would note down how a particular cafe looked and his opinions of the menu and the service he received.
This was not some bizarre hobby but valuable research. The bestpractice reference guide he compiled proved to be useful when he left the corporate world to launch his own juice bar, Fresh Xpresss, in Barnstaple, Devon, six years ago.
Unfortunately, Ford, now 38, failed to appreciate just how crowded this sector was about to become as health-conscious consumers got a taste for fruit juices and smoothies. After opening another outlet at nearby Braunton, he shelved his plans for 15 Fresh Xpresss bars across the southwest and followed a new direction.
He realised there wasmoney to be made from supplying juice-bar equipment and training to his growing list of local competitors and to the hundreds of similar bars opening up across the UK. The hours he had spent observing the country’s cafe culture, plus the £182,000 he invested in his two shops, had taught him a lot. Ford felt there was a lack of knowledge among potential and existing juice and cafe-bar owners about what equipment they needed, how to train staff effectively and which promotions work best to ensure people visit time and again.
In 2003 he formed Projuice and began supplying this burgeoning retail sector. Initially, he continued to run his two Fresh Xpresss outlets, but within 12 months these were sold as he threw himself full-time into Projuice. In 2005 he launched a juice and smoothie bar training academy in Exeter. “I made £140,000 profit from the sale of Fresh Xpresss and all this money went into Projuice because I realised there was such a massive gap in the market,” he says.
Projuice helps with drafting business plans, sourcing and supplying smoothie and juice equipment, devising branding ideas and advising on bar layout and design, as well as training the owners and their staff on how to make drinks.
“We practically wrap bar owners in cotton wool until they are ready to open or we act as troubleshooters for bars that are going through difficult times,” says Ford. “People keep their own brand and run their own business. This is not a franchise arrangement, but we do have a relationship which is good for them and for us.”
Projuice works with more than 800 juice bars around the UK and supplies another 2,500 cafes with what Ford calls “juice-bar concepts”. These include “smoothie in a bag” products for cafes that do not want a full juice bar — they need only a blender to add these drinks to their menu. Among Projuice’s concept customers are the supermarket group Budgens and cafe chain Coffee Republic.
Ford’s business is a family affair nowadays, with his brother, David, and sister, Sarah, on board as directors. He predicts that turnover will rise from £2m to £3.8m this year and could top £4.8m in 2009. Ford expects sales to reach £10m by 2013, when he hopes to sell out to a corporate food services company but remain involved in the business.
Coffee Republic plans to open 25 UK-based Delis every year
14th October 2008
Source; http://www.kingsturge.co.uk/commercial/news/coffee-republic-to-expand-in-scotland.htm
King Sturge has worked with Coffee Republic since October 2007 when Leslie Furness (since acquired by King Sturge) was appointed to advise on its aggressive opening programme. The chain reached its target of 100 outlets by Christmas 2007 and now aims to open up to 25 new outlets a year for the next few years. It has already opened more than 20 new stores in 2008 including Cribbs Causeway, Bristol; Queensway, west Kensington and the Strand in London; Watford, Gravesend, Leeds and Nottingham.
Coffee Republic opened its first outlets in Northern Ireland earlier this year and has extended its international presence with new stores at Malta International Airport: Bucharest, Romania; Varna, Bulgaria; and Dubai.
Source; http://www.kingsturge.co.uk/commercial/news/coffee-republic-to-expand-in-scotland.htm
King Sturge has worked with Coffee Republic since October 2007 when Leslie Furness (since acquired by King Sturge) was appointed to advise on its aggressive opening programme. The chain reached its target of 100 outlets by Christmas 2007 and now aims to open up to 25 new outlets a year for the next few years. It has already opened more than 20 new stores in 2008 including Cribbs Causeway, Bristol; Queensway, west Kensington and the Strand in London; Watford, Gravesend, Leeds and Nottingham.
Coffee Republic opened its first outlets in Northern Ireland earlier this year and has extended its international presence with new stores at Malta International Airport: Bucharest, Romania; Varna, Bulgaria; and Dubai.
Coffee Republic join forces with Hospitality I.T. EPoS solution
14th October 2008
Source; http://www.hospitality-it.ie/hospitality-it-ltd-newsletter-issue-3/print.html
Hospitality I.T. with their Maitre’D EPoS solution have been selected as the point of sale technology partner for the new and exciting Coffee Republic franchise chain throughout Ireland.
The first Coffee Republic Deli in Northern Ireland opened recently at the Abbeycentre in Newtownabbey, representing a £200,000 investment.
The unique Deli format combines the same great coffee that is Coffee Republic’s heritage with a serious hot and cold fresh food range, served in a quick service environment.
Behind the concept are local entrepreneurs Siobhan and Robert Mooney, Coffee Republic’s Master Franchisees for Northern & Southern Ireland. The duo, no strangers to the service sector, are responsible for bringing the premium, international brand initially to Northern Ireland and plan to sub-franchise five additional Coffee Republic Delis over the next twelve months.
Maitre’D EPoS is perfectly suited to chain-syle businesses with it’s e-Global Head Office solution. Maitre’D is available across 20 countries with 40,000 installations in all styles of food and beverage business from cafés to nightclubs, fast service to fine dining, and from single sites to chains spread right across the globe.
The requirements for Coffee Republic were extensive and highly specific. The system had to be very end-user friendly yet have the depth of data required for a chain business to analyse and develop trading strategies.
Each store would typically have either one or two tills, with all stores having Stock Control, Time & Attendance and Accounts Receivable modules to assist with the day-to-day management reporting.
The Head Office e-Global server is updated nightly with sales and all module data to allow the Head Office to review performance across the group and maintain an up-to-date picture of business throughout the chain.
The stores can be grouped by geographical region, franchisee or menu-level. This allows the Head Office to simply update individual stores or appropriate groups with any menu data changes with ease
“Coffee Republic, Ireland, chose Hospitality I.T. because we believed that in light of our expansion plans for Ireland, they could cater for our need for: excellent immediate support; accurate and timely information; an established and proven system; most importantly a positive approach to meeting our needs as the business develops. We haven’t been disappointed... crucial to our choice were the skills, knowledge and professional approach of the Hospitality I.T. team in building a business relationship.”
Siobhan Mooney (Master Franchisee for Ireland)
Source; http://www.hospitality-it.ie/hospitality-it-ltd-newsletter-issue-3/print.html
Hospitality I.T. with their Maitre’D EPoS solution have been selected as the point of sale technology partner for the new and exciting Coffee Republic franchise chain throughout Ireland.
The first Coffee Republic Deli in Northern Ireland opened recently at the Abbeycentre in Newtownabbey, representing a £200,000 investment.
The unique Deli format combines the same great coffee that is Coffee Republic’s heritage with a serious hot and cold fresh food range, served in a quick service environment.
Behind the concept are local entrepreneurs Siobhan and Robert Mooney, Coffee Republic’s Master Franchisees for Northern & Southern Ireland. The duo, no strangers to the service sector, are responsible for bringing the premium, international brand initially to Northern Ireland and plan to sub-franchise five additional Coffee Republic Delis over the next twelve months.
Maitre’D EPoS is perfectly suited to chain-syle businesses with it’s e-Global Head Office solution. Maitre’D is available across 20 countries with 40,000 installations in all styles of food and beverage business from cafés to nightclubs, fast service to fine dining, and from single sites to chains spread right across the globe.
The requirements for Coffee Republic were extensive and highly specific. The system had to be very end-user friendly yet have the depth of data required for a chain business to analyse and develop trading strategies.
Each store would typically have either one or two tills, with all stores having Stock Control, Time & Attendance and Accounts Receivable modules to assist with the day-to-day management reporting.
The Head Office e-Global server is updated nightly with sales and all module data to allow the Head Office to review performance across the group and maintain an up-to-date picture of business throughout the chain.
The stores can be grouped by geographical region, franchisee or menu-level. This allows the Head Office to simply update individual stores or appropriate groups with any menu data changes with ease
“Coffee Republic, Ireland, chose Hospitality I.T. because we believed that in light of our expansion plans for Ireland, they could cater for our need for: excellent immediate support; accurate and timely information; an established and proven system; most importantly a positive approach to meeting our needs as the business develops. We haven’t been disappointed... crucial to our choice were the skills, knowledge and professional approach of the Hospitality I.T. team in building a business relationship.”
Siobhan Mooney (Master Franchisee for Ireland)
Coffee Republic ups Scots presence
11th October 2008
Source; http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=36&storycode=3124545
Coffee Republic is looking to open a further 20 stores across Scotland.
The UK coffee chain has appointed King Sturge to increase its number of stores to 25. It already has coffee shops in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and East Kilbride.
Source; http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=36&storycode=3124545
Coffee Republic is looking to open a further 20 stores across Scotland.
The UK coffee chain has appointed King Sturge to increase its number of stores to 25. It already has coffee shops in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee and East Kilbride.
Coffee Republic signs for UK Land/Pochin's Exchange Flags
11th October 2008
Source; http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=39&storycode=3124439&c=2
UK Land & Property and Pochin have signed their first leisure tenant since the refurbishment of Exchange Flags began last year.
Coffee Republic has taken 1,200 sq ft in Walker House, which is the second phase and nearing completion. Coffee Republic’s unit will mirror that of sandwich bar Philpotts, an existing tenant, in the other wing, Horton House.
Ian Sherry, director of UK Land, said: ‘We are seeing a lot more animation in the square as occupiers move in and the links between retail and business cores grow stronger.’
A unit of 4,500 sq ft has been placed under offer by an oriental food operator, and two more units of 10,000 sq ft and 5,000 sq ft are attracting interest, Sherry said.
A 600 sq ft coffee shop in the ‘island’ unit between the two pedestrian arches is also subject to talks and, pending completion, is likely to open in the new year.
The square is hosting artwork for the Liverpool Biennial art festival in the shape of a glittery spider on a web hanging in mid air.
Cheetham & Mortimer are the leisure agents at Exchange Flags
Source; http://www.propertyweek.com/story.asp?sectioncode=39&storycode=3124439&c=2
UK Land & Property and Pochin have signed their first leisure tenant since the refurbishment of Exchange Flags began last year.
Coffee Republic has taken 1,200 sq ft in Walker House, which is the second phase and nearing completion. Coffee Republic’s unit will mirror that of sandwich bar Philpotts, an existing tenant, in the other wing, Horton House.
Ian Sherry, director of UK Land, said: ‘We are seeing a lot more animation in the square as occupiers move in and the links between retail and business cores grow stronger.’
A unit of 4,500 sq ft has been placed under offer by an oriental food operator, and two more units of 10,000 sq ft and 5,000 sq ft are attracting interest, Sherry said.
A 600 sq ft coffee shop in the ‘island’ unit between the two pedestrian arches is also subject to talks and, pending completion, is likely to open in the new year.
The square is hosting artwork for the Liverpool Biennial art festival in the shape of a glittery spider on a web hanging in mid air.
Cheetham & Mortimer are the leisure agents at Exchange Flags
CR Deli to open in Sofia, Bulgaria
5th October 2008
A new Coffee Republic Deli is set to open very soon in Sofia, Bulgaria. For more information please click here.
A new Coffee Republic Deli is set to open very soon in Sofia, Bulgaria. For more information please click here.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
