Caffè Nero

Infobox_Company
company_name = Caffè Nero Group Ltd.
company_
company_type = Private company limited by shares
company_slogan = "The Italian Coffee Company"
foundation = United Kingdom (1997)
location = London, United Kingdom
key_people = Gerry Ford, Chairman and CEO
Paul Ettinger, Commercial Director
Benedictine Price, Financial Director
Jonathan Hart, Managing Director
num_employees =
industry = Coffee Shops
products = Coffee
Frappelatte
Espresso
Caffè Latte
Mocha
revenue = profit £43.4 million GBP (2005)
homepage = [http://www.caffenero.com/ www.caffenero.com]

Caffè Nero (Italian for "black coffee") or Caffè Nero Group Ltd is a British coffee shop chain. It was established in 1997 and runs more than 360 shops nationwide.

History

The company was established 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.

Products

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. The chain also has its own line of soup dishes, called "Real Soup". Although Caffè Nero does not use Fairtrade labelling for their coffee and is not Fairtrade Certified, the chain claims that it does trade fairly, and purchases its coffee at premium prices for a better deal with the producers. [cite web |url=http://www.caffenero.com/NeroCoffee.asp?Section=FairTradeCoffee | title= Fair Trade Coffee | accessdate=2006-11-13]

The company has a reward scheme for customers: Each time a 'home-made' product is purchased, the customer's loyalty card is stamped. Once a card has nine stamps, the bearer is entitled to a free 'home-made' drink.

pelling

There should be a grave accent over the "e" in "Caffè Nero", but it is sometimes erroneously written with an acute accent, or with no accent at all.

The square "O" in the logo can sometimes be mistaken for a "D", giving the impression that the company is called "Caffè Nerd". A spoof website has popped up to accommodate this misconception - [http://www.caffenerd.com http://www.caffenerd.com] .

Commercial success

Starting in London, the chain has expanded to over 330 branches throughout Britain. It is planning to expand to 450 over the next six years, and is also looking to take the brand abroad. 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. The chain continues to expand its product range, including a range of premium coffee based drinks.

References

External links

* [http://www.caffenero.com/ Official website]
* [http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_43/b3956807.htm Business Week Caffe Nero Article]