Northern Irish coffee shop chain bob & berts is on the hunt for potential sites in the north-east as part of expansion plans for Scotland.
A move across the Irish Sea is expected to see the firm open 20 new outlets over the next few years and fuelled by a £2million investment by the Business Growth Fund (BGF).
The first Scottish shops are due to open in the central belt before the end of this year.
Industry expert Mohan Mansigani, a former chief finance officer at Costa Coffee and Casual Dining Group (CDG), is joining the board as non-executive chairman.
Mr Mansigani served as chief finance officer at CDG – the company behind brands including Belgo, Bella Italia and Cafe Rouge – from 2002 until 2014, having previously worked as finance director at Costa Coffee and TGI Fridays and in senior finance roles at Grand Metropolitan and Pizza Hut.
BGF investor Gemma Hamilton will also take her place in the bob & berts boardroom.
The business was founded four years ago by Colin McClean, his father, Arnold, and brother-in-law David Ferguson in Portstewart.
It currently has 16 outlets and plans to open a further 30 over the next four years, creating up to 600 full and part-time jobs, including 400 in Scotland, in the process.
The Scottish expansion is targeting market towns with strong local communities, replicating the firm’s success to date.
Colin McClean said: “The business is growing quickly and we are looking forward to taking the next step. We have successfully opened 10 stores in the past two years and are looking to open a further 30 over the next four years.
“Working with BGF will enable us to accelerate our growth plans and we are now actively looking at sites in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Republic of Ireland.”
A BGF spokewoman confirmed the search for suitable new sites will include the north-east. Patrick Graham, head of BGF’s central Scotland and Northern Ireland team, said: “We are excited to begin working with Colin and David who, in a short period, have successfully developed a strong brand with significant growth potential.
“This investment, along with the introduction of Mohan, who brings a wealth of experience to the company, will help unlock their desire and drive to expand significantly in the coming years.”
BGF has a £2.5billion investment pot to support growing companies across every region and sector of the UK economy. Its other investments in the leisure and hospitality sector include Bar Soba, Barburrito, and Giggling Squid.