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Coffee Nation moves into new markets with launch of chip and PIN Express coffee bar  

Coffee Nation moves into new markets with launch of chip and PIN Express coffee bar

 

UK coffee company, Coffee Nation has set its sights on new partnerships with hospitals, universities, further education colleges and commercial establishments after launching the Express, its first chip and PIN coffee bar. The decision follows the successful launch of the machine into The University of Birmingham.

 

Coffee Nation Express is a chip and PIN, self-service coffee bar that has been developed to provide any high-footfall environment with a branded coffee offer, which the company said could provide a shared revenue stream in excess of £150,000 per year.

 

Built on the Coffee Nation platform, the Express concept has been enhanced to include an intuitive touchscreen for menu selection, allowing users to customise their drinks and incorporates a chip and PIN payment device that, for first time, accommodates all major debit and credit cards as well as notes and coins.

 

Full-service system targets high footfall areas

 

The firm said its Express bar can be positioned in areas of high footfall, allowing partners to offer first-class coffee to their employees and visitors, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. It also provides a dedicated helpline to enable trained engineers to respond quickly in order to reduce downtime and loss of sales. Partners will not be charged for service contracts or replacement parts. And Coffee Nation’s ‘Brand Guardians’ visit each concession on a regular basis to train staff, replenish stock and audit each one for cleanliness, drink quality and machine maintenance.

 

Having introduced the original concept for gourmet vending 10 years ago, Coffee Nation sits alongside Starbucks and Costa as one of the biggest and fastest growing providers of coffee in the UK, trading in almost 900 sites across the country.

 

Scott Martin, Coffee Nation chief executive, said: “We have been developing the Express for some time with these high footfall environments in mind. This is our first fully manned solution, which we know will thrive in these environments. We offer the gourmet products that are familiar with from high street chains, but deliver it in a format that is consistent and more convenient.”

 

Early adopter endorses simplicity and flexibility

 

Louise Sheratt, catering services manager of early adopter, The University of Birmingham comments: “Coffee Nation has given us a simple solution – the successful marriage of premium barista coffee with ease and convenience of vending.

 

“Its flexible design means we can use it in locations previously without catering and it complements our existing vending solutions and High Street served offers. We are delighted with its overall performance and the students love the coffee! It gives us incremental revenue from a previously under-utilised area and requires very little maintenance.”