NEWS
Bru Coffee and Gelato seeks new franchise partners to fulfil national expansion plan The UK coffee industry has been one of the fastest growing retail sectors over the past decade and forecasts suggest that growth will continue for many years to come. Whilst the sector took a hit during the pandemic, it also presented an opportunity for forward-thinking retailers to innovate, drive their business forward and compete more effectively with the big coffee shop brands. Established in Leicester in 2014, Bru Coffee and Gelato now has six stores across the UK and says that it now has big ambitions and big plans for growth over the next few years. Innovations introduced over the past 18 months include a successful delivery service, the relaunch of a mobile app with one of the most generous loyalty schemes on the market, as well as product and packaging developments tailored towards changing consumer habits and trends. “Bru is a new wave in coffee shop culture serving the multi-billion pound food and coffee market through an ever-expanding range of drinks and tasty treats to satisfy a multitude of customer cravings within a fun and quirky setting. We firmly believe that we offer the right combination of ingredients that customers are craving and this has led to an influx of business-savvy individuals coming to us to find out how they can become a part of our coffee shop revolution,” said franchise director, Aftab Gaffar. “One franchisee that recently came on board committed to six new franchises, without ever having worked with us before, which I think is testament to the strength of the Bru brand and its potential. Coffee holds a really important place in people’s lives, and this trend is set to continue.” A trend highlighted in the Allegra Project Café UK Report (2021) was that customers have become a lot more educated
in coffee and are more likely to customise their drinks, which is where they can really excel, say Bru. With a more personal and community feel, backed up by the utilisation of new technologies, plus an internal manufacturing facility, they say that they can easily spot and respond to emerging consumer trends and evolving taste buds. As part of their expansion strategy, Bru have been working with Runo Group Ltd, who match businesses with suitable franchise partners and help them to develop and expand their business networks. Andy Hulbert, director at Runo Group says that he was immediately impressed by Bru’s values and commercial potential. “Coffee is already a proven and sustainable business to invest in but Bru’s exciting interiors and eccentric personality really adds an extra layer of interest, taking the investment opportunity to the next level,” he said. “I was particularly impressed by the diversity of Bru’s customer base. They appeal to a wide demographic including families, students and professionals which is another important factor that will help investors to maximise their return on investment. The initial response to the franchise has been extremely positive and we’re excited to work with Bru to develop these partnerships in a mutually beneficial way for all involved.”
Carpigiani UK strengthens sales team Carpigiani UK have announced a new sales structure, with Paul Richards promoted to the role of UK sales manager. Paul Richards has been with Carpigiani since 2018 as senior business development manager so taking the next step to UK sales manager is a well deserved promotion, say the company. Paul Ingram, managing director, Carpigiani UK commented: “The past year has been incredibly busy for us, continuing the trend of tremendous growth in demand for Carpigiani products. We wanted to strengthen 4 CAFÉ LIFE | DECEMBER 2021
the sales function further with the introduction of a UK sales manager to lead our team of business development managers. Paul was the obvious choice for the role as he’s got great knowledge and experience of both our business and the UK market. Over the last few years Paul has really gone above and beyond in his dedication to customers and in growing our business, he is a real asset to Carpigiani UK.” The Carpigiani UK sales team has grown further with the addition of Simon Holdsworth as business development manager for Scotland and the North of England.
