Danish juice and coffee bar chain Joe & The Juice has stepped up its expansion plan for London, revealing it hopes to open up to 15 new units there in the next nine to twelve months.
The Copenhagen-based brand’s retained agents Harper Dennis Hobbs are seeking units of around 1,200 sq ft in the capital, focusing on acquiring more sites in the City as well as affluent suburbs such as Richmond and Wimbledon.
The company debuted in London in 2009 and announced plans last year to open between ten and 12 units there annually but, in a sign of post-referendum confidence in the market, has recently increased the figure.
The chain expanded into Australia earlier this year but founder Kaspar Basse said London and the United States would be his main focus for the next twelve months.
“The intense urban environment is a good fit for us, where our juicers enjoy a fast lifestyle and people wish for new healthy trends.” Basse comments.
Richard Willcox, partner at Harper Dennis Hobbs said the Brexit vote was not a concern, adding: “It’s an affordable luxury for London’s population and that’s not going to change because of everything going on. Their customer base seems to be getting bigger and bigger.
“Everyone wants a coffee in London, especially in the morning, but you don’t want to feel like you’re sitting in a canteen. Even though it’s expanding it’s still got the feeling of exclusivity and uniqueness.”
He added the chain would consider spaces of up to 1,500 sq ft for flagship branches, saying the stores “need to be a big size to create atmosphere”.