Whitbread to open 200 Costa Coffees in Russia
Whitbread today announced plans to open more than 200 Costa Coffee's in Russia over the next five years, in partnership with Rosinter Restaurants Holding.
Whitbread and Rosinter will open outlets in Moscow and St Petersburg in their first year of business, before expanding to other Russian regions. There are currently no Costa's in Russia.
The first outlet will open in early 2008 in Pushkin Square, Moscow; and they intend to enter the Ukraine and Belarus at a later date.
John Derkach, managing director of Costa, said: "Costa has become a part of daily life for millions of customers worldwide with a presence in 20 countries, and this new agreement with Rosinter clearly demonstrates our ongoing ambition to be a global coffee brand."
Rosinter currently operates 216 restaurants in eight countries and 24 cities throughout Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Whitbread announced today that Costa Coffee's overall sales in the 39 weeks ending 29 November are up 23.6%. Premier Inn's overall sales are up 15%, and their restaurant sector, including Beefeater, is up 1.9%.
Whitbread has opened 216 Costa's worldwide this year alone, taking the total to 923 with 655 in the UK and 268 overseas. They have plans to open 600 stores in China in the next five years.
The 500th UK Premier Inn was opened in Bournemouth in November, and plans to build 3,500 new rooms are in the pipeline.
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By Tom Howard
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