WIESENHOF COFFEES BUYS CONTROLLING SHARE IN DULCÉ CAFÉ: PRESS ANNOUNCEMENT

A storm in a coffee cup…Wiesenhof Coffees multiplies its territories and market share, with the acquisition of a controlling share in Dulcé Café

Tuesday, 19 March, 2013

“The merger of human love with Divine love brings about Cosmic Order.” ~ Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Similarly, Wiesenhof Coffees recently purchased a controlling share of Dulcé Café, signalling the birth of a new and advantageous era, for both brands.

An ardent courtship:

As of 01 February, 2013, Wiesenhof Coffees acquired a 70 percent stake of the Dulcé Café franchise, for an undisclosed sum. The transaction between Kobus and Belinda Wiese, founders of Wiesenhof Coffees, and incumbent Dulcé Café Managing Director, Mike Pullen, took approximately 12 months to negotiate and conclude. In order to retain valuable company DNA, Dulcé Café New Business Director and Leasing and Franchisee Co-ordinator, Martin Fuller, retains his stock in the chain of 42 national stores. The addition of 45 Wiesenhof Coffee outlets to the buy-out equation, brings the total number of sites to just less than 90, across the country.

Passion ignites and successes shared:

Wiese is passionate about coffee, and believes that passion is the keyword to any success. Pairing Dulcé Café’s continental pride and passion with his own unique brand, born from his encompassing affinity and enthusiasm towards the coffee bean, is a match made in heaven. Both entities will keep their respective corporate identities and personalities, as developed and tailored towards a slightly varying South African demographic.

For Wiese, the procurement of a majority shareholding in Dulcé Café, was the next logical step in expanding his existing commercial operations, and business interests. Furthermore, Wiese is keen to create additional value propositions for his ever increasing market of coffee aficionados, across both franchise chains.

These benefits will include, amongst others, standardisation of operations and service training; competitive rates negotiated with all preferred suppliers; best of collective intellectual property shared across both brands, and more.

Appetite for quality growth:

To date, the majority of franchisees from both trademarks, have welcomed the business deal, although some are still uncertain of the anticipated changes. The Dulcé Café head office in Port Elizabeth has been closed, and moved to Heidelberg, to be run out of the official home of the Wiesenhof Coffees headquarters, and primary business hub. Wiese is adamant that despite his ambitious advancement and expansion strategy, the group will not lose its customer-centric focus, to consistently provide professional service, excellent food, and top grade, quality coffee. The Wiesenhof Coffees family spirit and commitment to continued improvement of the franchise chain, as a whole, is also paramount in all tactical undertakings.

Wiesenhof Coffees CEO, Rob Barrett, will be managing the progression and amalgamation of the two proven business models, together with their now considerable buying power, as a large franchising body. Up to 10 new stores are set to open within the prevailing financial year.

Says Wiese, “It is my dream to develop 200 successful stores, all of which would be operated by 50 franchisees, within the group. By encouraging the ownership of multiple sites, we can consolidate the investments of our franchisees, and ensure our family composition and personable customer rationale, at all times. It is also to our strategic advantage and positioning within the quick-service restaurant industry, that we now offer two choices in franchise proprietorship, to potential investors.”

The golden coffee bond:

Linking the partnership of the two franchise brands, and central to the foundation of the entire professional operation, is the Wiesenhof Coffees Roastery.
Established in 1996, the roastery guarantees a quality product, available at affordable and competitive local prices, highly skilled sales and after-sales service and support, flexibility and adaptability, as well as the facilitation of customer-specific requirements. Describing his own coffee brand as fluid poetry, Wiese shares that there are 12 blends, and one decaffeinated light / medium roast strength, currently available under the Wiesenhof Coffees Roastery. Quite excitingly, it has been released that the gourmet roaster is presently working with select Dulcé Café franchisees and patrons, in developing a unique and distinctive coffee blend for the chain. With a number of internal and external stakeholders invited to participate in the collective development process, Wiese is hoping to secure complete support of the sale of the new Dulcé Café coffee blend, throughout the stores, in the foreseeable future.

In the interim, speculation regarding Wiesenhof Coffees in talks with a large retail group, to market blends under its local Wiesenhof label, are widespread.

Further afield; the buy-out saw two of the original Dulcé Café partners, Mike Pullen and his son, Dulcé Café Training Manager, Tom Pullen, leave the local franchise operation. The father and son business duo are currently engaged in increasing and intensifying the international arm, and global footprint, of the Dulcé Café brand.

For further information, please do not hesitate to contact Wiesenhof Coffees / Dulcé Café Marketing Manager, Brigid Jaucot, on:

Cell: 083 650 7746
E-mail: brigidj@dulce.co.za

                                                                                                                     

Drafted by and to contact on behalf of Wiesenhof Coffees / Dulcé Café:


Louise Churches
Glass Slipper Communications
Cell: 083 703 3750
E-mail: louise@glass-slipper.co.za