Second Cup, Canada’s largest specialty coffee retailer, and Bin Hendi Enterprises, exclusive Master Franchisee of one of the fastest growing coffee retail brands in the Middle East, have announced plans for a roll out of 30 additional outlets as part of an ongoing regional expansion.

Mohi-Din Binhendi, president of Bin Hendi Enterprises, said Second Cup’s growth aspirations in the region are part of the coffee retailer’s ongoing expansion initiatives all over the world.

In a meeting with Second cup Chairman Gabe Tsampalieros, who recently visited the Middle East for the first time, Binhendi discussed the expansion plans in the Middle East, which will include outlets in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh & Eastern Province), Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan and Syria bringing the total of Second Cup coffee shops in the region to 51 stores for 2008.

“Second Cup’s distinctly Canadian identity and ambience and its product line of 30 premium coffees have successfully established a strong following among coffee lovers in the region. With additional outlets, we hope to fill a growing demand for our products and capture a bigger share of this increasingly competitive market. Our prospects for future growth are very strong, given our history and dramatic growth since we launched the brand four years ago,” Binhendi added.

Since setting up in the Middle East in 2003 under the Bin Hendi umbrella, Second Cup has already expanded dramatically, with outlets currently in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Egypt. 

Binhendi also welcomed the establishment of the Second Cup School of Business in Dubai, which was launched during Tsampalieros visit. The School of Business provides internal management and leadership training programmes designed to enhance the company’s human resource pool across the region.

Founded in 1975, Second Cup began as a shopping mall kiosk that only sold whole bean coffee and has since become Canada’s leading coffee retailer, with more than 360 cafés across Canada and over 20 cafés internationally with the Middle East as a major focus for global growth.

Bin Hendi Enterprises, founded by Mohi-Din Binhendi, is a Dubai-based company in its 31st year of operation specialising in retail business. Well-known as a premium fashion and food retailer, Bin Hendi Enterprises has successfully introduced more than 60 prestigious international brands to the UAE, and has a rapidly growing portfolio of proprietary high concept dining brands. Bin Hendi Enterprises employs more than 3,000 staff in operations throughout the UAE, GCC and India. –TradeArabia News Service