Cooks Coffee Company, which owns the Esquires cafe brand, is listed on both the NZX and the Aquis Exchange in London.
Cooks Coffee Company, which owns the Esquires cafe brand, is listed on both the NZX and the Aquis Exchange in London.
A New Zealand sharemarket-listed franchise cafe business has signed a new partnership agreement with supermarket chain Tesco for five stores in Ireland.
Cooks Coffee Company is listed on both the NZX and the Aquis Exchange in London, but operates largely in Europe and the Middle East with 108 Esquires storesin 10 different markets – although none in New Zealand or Australia.
Under the deal with Tesco Ireland, the stores will open before the end of November 2025.
Both parties describe the partnership as “highly complementary”.
Cooks Coffee executive chairman Keith Jackson said “Partnerships with businesses such as Tesco Ireland are part of our ongoing strategy and innovation as we continue our fast track growth”.
Jackson founded Cooks Coffee via a merger of four companies, and the company acquired the global rights to the Esquires Coffee brand (excluding Australia and New Zealand) in 2013.
The Esquires cafes will be established inside the Tesco stores with full cafe layouts offering extensive food and refreshment options.
Tesco's Ardkeen Waterford location is one of five Ireland stores that will partner with Kiwi-owned Cooks Coffee Company and its Esquire brand cafes.
Financial growth
In the business’ latest full-year financial result for the year ended March 31, Cooks Coffee reported total revenue of $6.73 million, up 43% from $4.70m in FY2024.
The business’ earnings before interest and tax (ebit) or operating profit grew significantly, up from $179,000 in 2024 to $1.1m in 2025.
Cooks Coffee’s bottom line also improved, the business recording a net profit of $813,000 for 2025, up from a loss of $356,000 in 2024 from continuing operations. When including the loss from discontinued operations, the business made a net loss in 2024 of $6.36m.
Growth in the UK and Ireland market was also strong, total franchisee store sales in UK & Ireland up 36% to $79.6m, compared with $58.2m in 2024.
However, the business has recently been under financial pressure. Total equity in the company was -$2.89m, reflecting primarily due to prior period non-cash writedowns in the past.
Store numbers for the brand continue to grow: 89 group sites in the UK and Ireland, up 19% from 75 in April 2024.
The company also signed a Master Franchise Agreement in May 2025 to develop into the rapidly growing Indian market. This will expand the business’ presence in the area. It has stores in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
The business’ share price is $0.21, down 28.8% over the past year.
Tom Raynel is a multimedia business journalist for the Herald, covering small business, retail and tourism.
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