F.P. Report
KARACHI: Esquires Coffee, the New Zealand based international coffee house franchise, today announces it will open its first coffee store in Pakistan in early March, bringing to the country the very-best in third-wave artisanal, Organic and Fairtrade café culture. The new store at Zamzama Boulevard, Karachi is the first of a planned network of 40 stores to be rolled out across Pakistan over the next ten years.
“New Zealand, where a morning cup of coffee from an artisanal café has been elevated to the status of a national institution, leads global café culture,” says Bearhug Chief Executive Jehanzeb Paracha (The master franchisee for Pakistan)
“The country’s best coffee houses are at the hub of local communities. They are meeting places for families and friends and a place to informally conduct business from early morning often late into the evening,”Mr Paracha said.
“Esquirestakes the very best of this culture and is building a global, artisanal and responsible global coffee brand. Our cafés are focused on the local community. Theyoffer great Organic and Fairtrade coffee and honest and healthy food that makes the best use of local ingredients and is attuned to local tastes and habits.
“It is a recipe that is resonating around the world. Esquires Coffee now operates nearly 100 coffee houses in communities as diverse as Ireland, the UK, China, Portugal, Canada and many countries in the Middle East. These countries have taken to Esquires relaxed, community-focussed, artisanal informality. We are very excited about the prospects for Esquires Coffee in Pakistan”
Cooks Global Foods owns the international intellectual property and master franchising rights to Esquires Coffee Houses worldwide, excluding New Zealand and Australia.
Cooks Global Foods Executive Chairman Keith Jackson said Pakistan represents a very good opportunityfor the company. “Pakistan’s economy is growing strongly and, according to the World Bank, growth is expected to accelerate between now and 2020. It also has a fast-growing middle class hungry forinternational brands and experiences,” Mr Jackson said.
“We are excited about the expertise and knowledge of the local markets that the Bearhug’s team brings to the table and we are confident that together we can make the most of the strong potential we see. We are looking forward to working with Bearhug Pvt Ltd to finalise the arrangements for the first store.”
Mr Jackson said the move into Pakistan is part of Cooks Global Foods continuing drive into new markets where it sees the potential for its unique take on Organic and Fairtrade coffee.
“Over the last year Cooks has signed preliminary term sheets to extend Esquires’ presence into the Middle East, North Africa & West Asia, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan and it is in talks to engage franchisees in a number of other regions.
“Globally our brand and our franchise system are recognised for delivering results for franchisees. This was underscored by the naming of Esquires Coffee as the top-rated coffee store franchise in the United Kingdom, by Elite Franchise magazine in late 2017. We are excited about the opportunities we see,” Mr Jackson said.
We are delighted to be working with Jehanzebt o build an exciting business in Pakistan and look forward to being an important part of the development of the café culture amongst the millennials who are rapidly adopting this aspect of global consumer development.
