Business

Coffee chain announces further expansion and jobs boost

Ground Espresso Bars owners Karen and Darren Gardiner
Ground Espresso Bars owners Karen and Darren Gardiner Ground Espresso Bars owners Karen and Darren Gardiner

Ireland’s fastest growing independent coffee chain Ground Espresso Bars is expanding its reach by opening three new shops and creating 40 jobs in the process.

Ground Espresso Bars, established in 2001 in Coleraine and which now has a portfolio of more than a dozen eateries, is investing £500,000 to launch the cafes in Next outlets in Derry's Lisnagelvin retail park, Enniskillen and Bloomfield in Bangor.

Ground’s commitment to its Northern Ireland expansion also include a significant investment in its 2,000 sq ft Lisnagelvin-based coffee shop due to open on May 25 and which promises to offer a welcoming atmosphere for lovers of its bespoke coffees and hand-made treats as well as providing free wi-fi and a kids’ play area.

Owner Karen Gardiner said: “Having opened our first store almost 14 years ago, we're thrilled to be in a position to continue growing our network and Ground offering throughout Northern Ireland.

"We are also delighted to be expanding our partnership with Next Plc, and these new concessions will see Ground feature in six of Next’s department stores before the end of this year, with exciting plans in the pipeline to partner with the retail chain on a considerable number of new sites as well.”

Stephen Williams from Next plc added “We are happy to again be partnering with Ground Espresso Bars on these projects.

"Ground and Next work very well together and we look forward to developing this relationship in the future”.

Employing more than 160 staff, it currently operates standalone cafes in Coleraine, Portrush, Bushmills, Ballymoney, Ballymena and Cookstown, as well as concessions in Waterstones on Fountain Street, Next Donegall Place, Next Sprucefield, Next Westend retail park in Dublin, Tesco Banbridge and Translink in Coleraine.

The chain's mission is “to provide a haven for customers where comfort, friendship, happiness, quality and ethics become synonymous with their name”.