Cooks Coffee Company has reported continued growth across its UK and Irish operations, with new store openings contributing to higher systemwide sales during the first half of its 2027 financial year. The company is also progressing its international expansion plans, with its first Esquires Coffee locations in India and the United Arab Emirates now under construction.
For the six months ended 30 September 2026, systemwide store sales across the UK and Ireland increased by 14.3% compared with the corresponding period last year. The second quarter also delivered positive momentum, with systemwide sales rising by 14.6%.
The UK remained the group’s largest market, recording systemwide sales growth of 15.5% during the first half. Like-for-like sales, which measure performance across stores trading in both comparable periods, increased by 1.3%. Ireland delivered systemwide sales growth of 11.6%, alongside like-for-like growth of 3.4%.
The figures reflect a combination of new store openings and improved trading at established locations. Higher customer numbers and increased average transaction values contributed to the performance across both markets.
Over the rolling 12 months to 30 September 2026, systemwide sales across the UK and Ireland increased by 16.5%. UK sales rose by 16.6%, while Ireland recorded growth of 16.3%.
New store development continued to make a significant contribution. Locations opened during the previous 12 months accounted for 18% of UK sales and 14% of Irish sales. This demonstrates the contribution that network expansion is making to the group’s overall growth, although the difference between systemwide and like-for-like performance also shows the importance of continued development alongside improving established store sales.
At 30 September 2026, the Esquires Coffee network comprised 128 locations, including 89 stores in the UK, 29 in Ireland and a further 10 across other international markets.
International expansion represents another area of development for Cooks Coffee. The company confirmed that its first stores in India and the UAE are under construction and are expected to open before the end of FY27.
The planned openings follow the group’s agreements to establish master franchise operations in both markets. The India agreement was announced in May 2025, followed by the UAE agreement in January 2026. The forthcoming openings will provide an opportunity to establish the Esquires brand in two additional markets and create a foundation for potential further development through franchise partnerships.
Cooks Coffee Company Limited (AQSE:COOK) is building an ethical café group with great cafes owned and run by local people. The Cooks franchise model promotes ethical commitment, individual entrepreneurship and local community engagement.
