Starbucks’ UK franchised business partner 23.5 Degrees is planning to open 27 stores in the next 12 months, as part of a rapid expansion programme.
The business, which plans to open its 50th store in five years in Hull on 20 June, will open an additional seven Starbucks stores by August.
It is targeting a further 20 launches during the year, to bring its store count to 77.
Managing director Mark Hepburn said 23.5 Degrees is actively seeking both freehold and leasehold drive-through opportunities on main arterial routes.
It is aiming for locations near major retail destinations and on large industrial estates that can be designed into three standard sized units – 1,500, 1,800 and 2,200 sq ft – which can either be modular or traditionally built.
The business will also consider retail park and “drive to” destinations, as well as high street units with high footfall and a minimum size of 1,500 sq ft.
Hepburn said: “Reaching our 50th Starbucks store in just five years is a great achievement but we’re not stopping there. The UK coffee market is continuing to grow and with our local expertise, we hope to extend our store count considerably in the coming years.
“We’re able to move fast on great new sites. Our use of modular design and build enables our landlords to have our stores trading faster.”
The business, which is backed by private equity, has the rights to develop in the following counties:
- Oxfordshire
- Berkshire
- Hampshire
- Wiltshire
- Cambridgeshire
- Norfolk
- Hertfordshire
- Essex
- Dorset
- East Anglia
- Lancashire
- Yorkshire
- Cumbria
- Northumberland.
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