Thursday, March 01, 2007 Coffee shop to use wireless fidelity to attract customers
TO ESTABLISH its niche as a “hip” coffee shop, an international coffee chain will adopt a wireless fidelity (Wi-Fi) network for its succeeding Cebu branches.
“People are our most important assets,” said Kichi Wong, marketing manager for Special Beans Philippines Inc. (SBPI), master franchisee of Gloria Jean’s Coffees.
According to Wong, the coffee shop has recognized the growing number of customers who are in need of Wi-Fi network, either for business transactions or schoolwork.
Gloria Jean’s targets as their market foreigners, families, and individuals in their 30s and 40s “who are in need of someone to talk to,” she said.
In a deal it inked with SBPI, Zobella Gourmet Coffees Corp. (ZGCC) will be the coffee shop’s exclusive franchisee in Cebu.
Another branch
Capitalizing on Cebu’s bullish coffee industry, ZGCC chief executive officer Lalaine Espiritu said the company will open its second branch, a 38-seater coffee shop, in the reconstructed Boulevard along Osmeña Blvd., Cebu City.
Gloria Jean’s, which was first introduced to Cebu in April 2005, is located at the Banilad Town Center.
“The market is very big, it is not yet saturated,” Espiritu said, adding that the company has plans to expand two franchise outlets in Cebu within the year.
ZGCC is currently contemplating plans on opening the other two branches either in Ayala Center Cebu or in Ciudad, if its construction pushes through, she said.
She said ZGCC is willing to spend $90,000 in franchise fees for all three outlets.
Wong said that while there are over 30 existing Gloria Jean’s outlets in the Philippines, where six are outside Metro Manila, the company is targeting 20 more outlets nationwide by the end of the year.
It recently opened a branch in Bacolod City last month.
Wong said the company is already scouting for feasible areas in Mindanao for the additional branches.
Meanwhile, Wong said SBPI will intensify its marketing efforts for Gloria Jean’s by coming up with a series of promotional drinks that are “summer-themed,” apart from its usual offerings of hot drinks, chillers and tea.
ZGCC operations manager Carlo Gomez said the coffee shop has incorporated “latte art,” a series of creative art designs for its espresso orders. (MMM)
