Aiden Keegan, a seasoned expert in the Irish coffee industry, has been appointed as the CEO of Cooks Coffee Company, the largest coffee organisation that’s largely unfamiliar to many. This corporation’s shares are available on both the New Zealand and the Aquis Exchange market in London, a vibrant space for growing enterprises.
Cooks Coffee Company is known for granting franchise opportunities for coffee shops under the banner of Esquires Coffee and oversees interests in the UK, Ireland, Pakistan, and the Middle East according to their website. The firm has 55 branches in the UK, 15 in Ireland and a total of 96 globally.
Keegan embarked on his vocation in the early 2000s alongside Harry O’Kelly at Insomnia chain prior to collaborating with Tony McVerry, who held the master franchise for the Esquires chain of coffee outlets in Ireland. Esquires, owned by Cooks Coffee Company, saw a significant expansion with stores in Ireland growing upto 15 at the onset of the 2008 economic decline under Keegan’s and McVerry’s leadership.
Post this, Keegan invested several years as the operations manager for Cooks Coffee Company’s Gulf region business. By 2018, he was elevated to the post of managing director of Cooks Coffee Company’s UK division.
Keegan was also instrumental in steering the company’s course through the Covid-19 crisis where, during the initial phases, he helped Esquires experience growth commensurate to Greggs, at a time when the bakery chain was leading in the UK’s food and beverage sector growth.
Keegan sees substantial growth opportunity in the UK market and is eager for the company’s global expansion. Currently, Cooks Coffee Company aims to raise NZD 1.7 million (€942,000) from its existing shareholders to fund technology investments and extend the reach of the Esquires branch, targeting primarily Europe and the Middle East.
Earlier this year, the firm reported an increase in total sales volume by 15.8% in its franchise branches around the globe, equating to $53.8 million in New Zealand currency. The UK stores contributed 35 million New Zealand dollars to this figure, while the Irish branches generated 18.8 million New Zealand dollars in sales, marking an 11% rise.
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The company oversees 71 locations within the UK and Ireland. Among these, is a store in the Tallaght shopping complex, which started business in February 2023. Furthermore, they boast locations on Mary Street within the heart of Dublin and another within the Savoy cinema establishment on O’Connell Street.
The business experienced a setback due to a fire at their Longford location in September 2022, however, operations in the location have since resumed.
The trading year concluding in March 2023, saw the Cooks Coffee Company garner franchise operation revenues totalling $6.6 million in New Zealand currency, a drop from the previous year’s 7.7 million New Zealand dollars. The company reported an overall annual loss of 3.3 million New Zealand dollars, primarily attributed to depreciated assets’ value.