Ground Espresso Bars to open eight new Scottish cafes
- Published
Ground currently has shops in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland
A Northern Irish coffee chain has announced it is to expand into Scotland with plans for eight new cafes.
Ground Espresso Bars said it would open stores in Stirling, Dundee, Kilmarnock, Glasgow and Edinburgh, with other locations also being considered.
Four of the new shops will be stand-alone, with the other four concessions within Next stores.
The company said the expansion would create to 100 new full and part-time jobs.
Ground Espresso Bars describes itself as a "scaled artisan coffee chain" with "ethically conscious principles and locally-sourced produce".
It began trading in Northern Ireland in 2001 and expanded to the Republic of Ireland in 2015.
The firm currently employs over 250 staff across 20 stand-alone stores and concessions.
Ground Espresso has been working with Next plc since 2014 and the new store openings will see the company's concessions with the clothing and home store double in 2018.
Operations director Karen Gardiner said: "Our latest news marks a truly exciting time for Ground. We are absolutely thrilled to be in the position to not only strengthen our position in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, but to also launch our brand in Scotland in the form of both stand-alone stores and concession stores within Next plc.
"Our partnership with Next plc has gone from strength to strength over the last two years and we look forward to continued success and to expanding the Ground team further throughout the UK and Ireland."