Local coffee shop expands network with kiosks, carts

CEBU, Philippines — Pinoy coffee shop brand, Figaro Coffee System Inc., is boosting its network expansion via setting up kiosks and carts around the country.

Figaro Coffee Systems Inc., deputy chief executive officer Divina Gracia C. Cabreira said the 25-year coffee brand is intensifying its move to penetrate the small-pocket store concepts seeing the good business opportunities the segment offers.

In Cebu, the company opened its 74th full-store branch Tuesday, located at Horizon’s 101 Cebu on Mango Avenue, in partnership with Cebu-based franchisee Acmed Global Ventures Inc.

According to Cabreira, the coffee shop industry in the Philippines is still vibrant despite the entry of  big global brands as well as the coming of new homegrown brands.

Setting up of kiosks, carts store type is seen to boost the network coverage of the Figaro brand in the country, as it is actively helping the Filipino coffee farmers.

Aside from opening small coffee shops, Figaro is also expanding its product offerings within its full-store branches, making the coffee shop and full-blown cafe outlets.

This means that aside from its signature Figaro coffee blends, it is also offering full snacks and meal offerings to address the need of the coffee shop customers.

The business is also expanding its coffee blend distribution to cater to institutional clients such as hotels, airlines, hospitals, among others.

Of the 74 branches, four of which are located overseas. There are now three Figaro Coffee in Saudi Arabia, and one in Doha, Qatar.

Michael T. Barret, the company’s deputy chief operating officer, added that the company targets to open 18 more branches in 2019, which will be a combination of kiosks, carts and full-store concepts.

The company offers P7 million franchise fee for full-store, P5 million for kiosks and P3.2 million for cart type outlets.