| Type | Private company limited by shares |
|---|---|
| Industry | Coffee Shops |
| Founded | Founded in 1997 by Gerry Ford in South Kensington, London |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Key people | Gerry Ford, Chairman and CEO Paul Ettinger, Commercial Director Benedictine Price, Financial Director Jonathan Hart, Managing Director |
| Products | Coffee Frappe Espresso Caffè Latte Mocha |
| Revenue | £43.4 million GBP (2005) |
| Website | http://www.caffenero.com |
Caffè Nero (Italian for black coffee) or Caffè Nero Group Ltd is an Italian-style coffee shop chain primarily based in the UK. It was founded in 1997 in London as the Caffe Nero Group by Gerry Ford. Currently, the company runs more than 420 shops nationwide and has expanded its operations into locations such as Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.
Contents |
The company was founded in 1987 and sold in 1997. As a PLC, the company's shares were traded on the London Stock Exchange under the symbol CFN. However, in early 2007, the company was the subject of a management buy-out and is currently in private ownership.
Along with traditional espresso-based drinks, Caffè Nero stores also sell frappé latte (an iced latte), fruit booster (an iced fruit drink), and Hot Chocolate Milano, an extra sweet and thick hot chocolate drink. In summer 2006 Caffè Nero relaunched their iced drink range, the feature product being a range of premium milkshakes called Frappé-Milkshakes. Several specialty coffee based drinks were launched in 2007 these were: Caramelatte (a vanilla flavored Caffé Latte served with Whipped Cream and caramel sauce topping), White Chocolate Mocha (a twist on the classic Caffé Mocha), and Espresso Con Panna (an espresso drink served with a topping of cream). The chain also has its own line of panini, pasta salads, and soup dishes. Coffee beans sourced by Caffè Nero are not Fairtrade certified. The chain website states that producers are paid a premium for their coffee beans,[1] and where possible, Caffe Nero tries to source Fairtrade beans for their blend.
The company has a reward scheme for customers: Each time a coffee is purchased, the customer's loyalty card is stamped with the 'Nero Coffee Bean Logo'. Once a card has nine stamps, the bearer is entitled to a free drink of any price.[2]
Starting in London, as of 2010[update] the chain has expanded to over 400 branches throughout Britain. As a result of the chain's rapid expansion, Caffè Nero was named the twentieth fastest growing company in Europe in the 2004 Europe's 500 by Business Week magazine. The chain is also taking the brand abroad, with, as of 2010, locations in Turkey and the United Arab Emirates.