COFFEE chain Bob & Berts has announced plans to open six new shops in England and Scotland this year.
The move will take the independent hospitality chain to 32 outlets.
Founded in Portstewart by Colin McClean during 2013, Bob & Berts now employ around 800 people across its portfolio of coffee shops, which spans 15 locations in Northern Ireland, six in Scotland and five in England.
The company has confirmed it will shortly add new stores in Glasgow and Blackpool.
Four additional sites have also been identified in the north-west of England and Yorkshire, all of which could open before the end of 2023.
It comes just weeks after new accounts for the fast growing coffee chain showed it enjoyed a record year in 2022.
Bob & Berts bounced back from the impact of Covid-19 restrictions with a 58 per cent jump in turnover to £17.75 million for the year ending June 2022.
It left the coffee chain with a pre-tax profit of just over £1.1m for the 12-month period.
Commenting on the latest expansion plans, Colin McClean said: “In June it will be 10 years since I opened the doors of the first Bob & Berts in Portstewart and I think it is a real mark of the quality of what the business and our staff offer customers that we will open our 30th store in 2023.
“We are also keen to expand our business further in our already established regions.
“What has been apparent as we’ve grown, first in Northern Ireland, then in Scotland and England, is that our commitment to serving customers proper, quality coffee and great fresh food in a relaxed environment has really resonated with people who wanted something different from the large multi-national coffee chains,” he added.
“Our most recently opened sites in Perth and Carlisle are flying, with customers really taking to the Bob & Berts offer, and as we continue to expand and evolve, that core commitment will remain at the heart of everything we do.”
Company director David Ferguson said Bob & Berts said last year’s financial results reflected how the coffee chain successfully adapted its business model in response to Covid.
“Like every business in hospitality we are impacted by the challenges facing the economy from food and drink inflation and rising energy costs, but we have strong relationships with our suppliers and we are well placed to manage these cost increases and continue our expansion plans,” he said.
“We’ve always wanted Bob & Berts to offer something different to the competition and our branding, food selection, interior design and the relaxed atmosphere we create in our coffee shops reflects that. As we continue to grow across the UK, all of our new cafes are being created with this culture in mind.”
