"I am interested in buying everything that means Roma- nian coffee shop both in Bucharest and throughout the country. We are not talking about large chains, but two-three coffee shop networks," Niculescu told Business Standard.
At present, Turabo controls 12 coffee shops, of which two are franchises, and of the six new openings only one will be a franchise. "At present we have a very aggressive expansion plan and it is difficult to find the right locations. This is the reason we decided not to focus on franchising," Niculescu added.Turabo's General Manager's plans for 2008 involve opening 7-10 more shops and expanding the network by acquiring small coffee shop chains on the domestic market. Investments will depend on location, renting period and renown.
Another main target for Turabo is the consolidation of its segment leader position, in light of the fact that international chains have already entered or have announced their intention to enter the Romanian market as of 2008. Turabo is also still working on externalizing the brand in the region. "We have allocated €400,000 for a first opening in Warsaw or Prague, but progress is slow due to formalities," Niculescu mentioned.
