Costa, the UK’s largest and fastest growing coffee shop brand, has opened its 50th corporate franchise store in London’s Moorfields Eye Hospital with partner Compass Group UK & Ireland. The store opened on World Sight Day, 10 October, and the day’s takings will be donated to Moorfields Eye Charity.
Started with Ealing Hospital in 2008
The partnership between Costa and Compass started in 2008, when the first full store opened at Ealing Hospital – a steady one store per month has been opened since then, as the partnership has gone from strength to strength and continued to build on the ever increasing consumer demand for quality branded coffee.
The Costa brand has proved successful across Compass’ diverse client portfolio with the Costa franchise store proving an extremely successful model with Compass’ healthcare and higher education clients. Within the healthcare market, the milestone is also representative of a growing trend for providing visitors, staff and patients with a retail brand that they know and love.
Many more stores set to follow
Oliver Cock, Commercial Managing Director, Compass Group UK & Ireland comments: ‘The Costa brand is popular across our business and it’s great to be able to celebrate this successful partnership with the opening of our 50th store. With many more set to follow in the coming months we look forward to building on this partnership and further developing the coffee offer we provide to our customers.”
Healthcare franchises have grown exponentially
Rob Gower, Costa UK comments: ‘Our franchisee partnership with Compass has gone from strength to strength as a result of a sustained demand for coffee from consumers – a great achievement over what has been a recessionary period for the UK. Our healthcare franchises specifically have grown exponentially – providing the same Costa quality and experience as a high street store and, as such, an environment where customers can come in, relax and switch off from the hospital setting.’