Robinsons Retail bringing Costa Coffee to PHL shores 

Robinsons Retail Holdings Inc. of the Gokongwei group is bringing in UK-based Costa Coffee to the Philippines starting 2015. 

In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Robinsons Retail said its wholly-owned subsidiary Robinsons Gourmet Food and Beverage Inc. signed an international distribution agreement covering the supply and operations of Costa Coffee shops in the Philippines.

 

The first Costa Coffee shop in the country is targeted to open in 2015, the company said.

 

"We are pleased to be part of Costa's exciting plans for growth in Southeast Asia and we look forward to forming a long-term partnership with the brand as we continue to diversify into more exciting formats and bring additional job opportunities to the Filipinos," said Robinsons Retail president and COO Robina Gokongwei-Pe.

 

Costa Coffee was founded by the Italian brothers Sergio and Bruno Costa in 1971 in Lambeth, London as a wholesale operation supplying to caterers and specialist Italian coffee shops with slow-roasted blend Mocha Italia.

 

It was acquired by Whitbread PLC – UK's largest hospitality company with exposures in hotels, restaurants and coffee shops – in 1995.

 

Costa Coffee is a key player in the coffee business – second only to Starbucks – with over 2,900 shops worldwide across 30 countries.

 

Costa Coffee International Franchise managing director Andy Marshall said the company is pleased to enter the Philippine market which already has an established coffee culture.

 

"We envisage a significant store opening program over the coming years, which will provide further employment opportunities and a stable infrastructure to continue our growth in the Southeast Asia region," he said.

 

Last July, Costa Coffee in SEA and India international operations manager Matt Kenley said they plan to open up to 80 stores in the next five years. – Danessa O. Rivera/VS, GMA News