would be interested to hear from anyone who is holding COFFEE REPUBLIC or wishing to add to their portfolio etc. I understand that they have a big demand for the new franchise model that they are about to roll out across the UK etc.M y company hold a position in the shares and will be taking a franchise for a store down here in Devon. Looks like a winner if the franchise model becomes a hit. Shares up 30% plus recently with a bloke called Trevor Brown raising his stake from 4% in May to 10% last week.Also Julian Richer holds 17%. Any thoughts.
Cheers Barty.

Had a look on their website. They are offering international franchises for entire countries and all sorts. My only worry would be that they try and roll out too many franchises too quickly. Will watch with interest however.

I have held shares for a couple of years buying in at an average of 1p. Unlike many retailers jumping on the London bombings as an excuse for poor trade, the situation of their shops would have played a large part to the poorer than expected interim results.

The franchise model sounds a good one and I think it will be a 1 to 2 year wait to get some decent returns from this, probably on a takeover, but at least as an AIM company by holding for over two years CGT on gains only taxed at 10%.

Anyone know what this company's forecasts are for the next two years?

Nice rise the last few days, anyone with any ideas why? Target takeover?

i heard that a number of franchises hav been sold etc. and new stores etc.barty.

I'm in.. small time.. bit of a flutter ... let's see how it goes!

Have a look at COH - rumours of a tie up with TESCO - to date all of there operations have been in eastern block but have recently brought ex Tesco man Bill Currie on board as non exec to speed up growth. Would possibly require / see benefit in establishing instant holding in UK through take over of established partner company could be CFE - would give name credibility to Tesco plans if any or may just fancy hijacking established franchise model as vehicle for effective, rapid expansion - DYOR. AG.

Forget the rumour of Tesco, wrong partner for COH... True COH have 3 million to invest on expansion but they are looking for Eastern Europe, already in Poland/Latvia/Bulgaria and looking to expand into other countries Romania possibility... DYOR... COH not interested in UK market...

It is incredible that since I invested a mere 5k in CFE when Bobby Hashemi took the helm, his performance has been dismal to say the least. Had I invested in Nero 4 years ago I would have made ten times instead of loosing half my money. He is a poor operator with little or no real holding in the company. He should be paid ONLY in stock options. He can be rewarded if he performs. Instead he and his CFO recieve a very high salary and they have no incentive to perform. I wish someone with deep pockets can buy CFE and run it like its peers. Selling and franchasing is not the answer and certainly milking the cash out year after year is border-line unethical.

For what its worth that franchise idea smacks of desperation. And their book You can do it or whatever its called its utter boolsh1t. All IMHO.

I agree, it is an act of desperation. You've got to show growth NOT retrenshment. You don't boost your balance sheet with franchise fees and new fund raising rounds. You do it with proper management. Improve your bottom line, the market will reward you in due course. Current management is NOT capable.

In addition to my last posted message, shareholders equity was at a mere 450k with little or no cash. After the latest fund raise it looks cosmetically better but not for long. With all due respect to current management, they are NOT acting in the best interest of shareholders. If a fund manager owned CFE shares they would have replaced top management long ago.

I have been involved in the franchise business for over twenty years. I have never seen a company franchise out existing bars, usually the franchisee is expected to open one or more bars over an agreed period. If CFE franchises out its best performing bars that leaves the company with non performing bars making it very unattractive to a potential acquirer let alone giving little or no room for upside on the share price.

Someone is selling small amounts to keep the price down. I believe management is up to no good, they may try to buy the company on the cheap.

This share is a money pit for the any fool shareholder holding this. Its a milking operation.

I tend to agree, management is doing all the milking and getting away with it. Believe it, there is hidden value in this company if shareholders can get rid of management.

Think you have a misprint in the epic - COH is the winner not this dog.

hi , the franchising is going very well etc , but the mangement are def planning a cheap MBO etc , money is flowing in and area franchises have been sold, the upside is huge. There is a shareholder group that has 20% shareholder support !!! would luv to get any more support from anyone on this site ? if interested please contact ' coffeerepublicshareholders@hotmail.co.uk' . thanks barty.

Something is happening here.I hear all sorts of things, has anyone heard anything?

heard nothing ! what have you heard ?

Several groups are trying to get info and buying up shares. Rumors of an MBO but more likely an outsider looking for a UK foot print

Did you see TASTY IPO, stock doubled in one day with three restaurants. All you need is someone like the Kay brothers to discuss CFE and it's a 3 pence share price in no time. I hear a guy from Plymouth owns 10% and an investment banker owns almost 3% and a hedge fund owns 6%, all are fairly recent purchases.They must see value in CFE shares.

it would seem that bobby has a small problem on his hands after a real rally yesterday, and the news paper reports. at least 40% share holders think he has not performed. any thing could happen now. any ideas?

No idea at all but not complaning and sp is strengthening all the time..

skyhigh
YES, excellent sp progress, in for medium term though,but just set a stop loss at 1.47p.
looking at the graph, it looks like seasonal thing, where the sp always reach 1.50p
and by the end of august start coming down again. this does not bother me because i will buy low and wait for maturity. nevertheless the business itself is now renewed and the future can be bright. the balance sheet needs to be strenghtened at this stage.

A good day again, sp up yet again, one must think some thing is going to happen in the near future, far to much activity for this time of year, any thoughts ?

today's sp performance is eagle wings phenomenon. what's the cause?
may be the franchise strategy is going high places.

Market sees reason for Bobby to step down as he indeed should. Shares are cheap if and only if there is new management in place with a clear and transparent growth strategy.

It was this article on Sunday that kick started this latest move:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2095-2291135,00.html

thanks SNIFFER AND WINPIK
sp now at 1.94p, i've just push the stop loss to 1.85p. no doubt they have excellent product but like every top quality car, excellent driver will be perfect.
best luck

forgotten the major shareholders name, but i read the article in Sunday Times ..... looks like another but cheaper version of Mr Timmis and well worth a detour!

Anyone else in CFE ? It's doing well. Long may it continue !

SKYHIGH

I BOUGHT CFE at 1p sell some at 1.5 because of the historical chart, and at 1.6 but still got more left with a stop loss at 2.70p. not bad

Nice one george.

Well detoured cynic.

SNIFFER

YES, IT IS A NICE ONE BUT I WOULD NOT BUY MORE AT THIS STAGE TILL WE GET SOME NEWS. HOWEVER CFE remains a top banana

Good to see others here... I got in at 1.3p so have doubled my investment. Didn't buy very many.. wished I'd bought more, always the way isn't it.?

sp looks to be taking a breather. wonder if it'll go thru the 3p level ?

skyhigh
it is not easy to tell but it is not far from 3p, since that article in the sunday times
pointing out that cfe is undervalued and so on, eagle eyes investors become aggressive buyers. maybe is just a quick breather before another spectacular run.
will see, fingers X

cfe reached 3p today, wow, what is next ? A mbo,

Spot on!! Proplinks. However, is not going to go through on the cheap side...

How far can this goes? resilient performance. they say the economic power is in the number of the network. best luck

many bailed from this one

Barty has "secure" voting rights over a relatively small proportion of the stock unless he has gained voting rights from some major holders. Everything else is from a loose coalition of small holders who may or may not follow through with their support.

With so much riding on the outcome of the EGM, Barty needs security which means stock.

Hash by default has voting rights over a high percentage of the stock, again assuming some major holders have not fallen into Barty's camp.

For Hash to beat Barty he simply needs to temporarily spike and maintain the price beyond Barty's reach. As its so illiquid now, it will not take much buying.

For me its simply a trade and I wont be backing Barty, I much prefer he buys on the open market. To be honest I hope Hash follows suit. In fact anybody who is trading this and not in for the long term should NOT fill the form in,simply sit on the fence and let one or both of them buy the price up.

Barty's options are limited. He can not sell the volume he has aquired. He could sell a few and try to shake the price but I for one would buy. He could just sit on his holding but would then be diluted by Hash until he sells or becomes irrelevant.Or he must keep buying.

Its not often traders get such a public situation to profit from.

Dont commit......Withdraw your support

Force buying on the open market

If Barty wants control through his appointed Directors then make him pay the price.
If Hash wants to retain control then make him increase his holding.

Barty, out of curiosity, would you confirm that you are not going to bid for the company once the current management are removed and your chosen Directors installed.
It would be a shame if the small shareholders giving their vote to you for free did not benefit from the future success of the company.
A 25% holding for yourself and your associates is an unusually large holding. Perhaps a public commitment not to bid within 5 yrs would be appropriate.
An unusual request on a public bulletin board but then this is an unusual situation isnt it.
Personally I think your chosen team would run the company very well and radically improve the current share price. It would just be a shame if the benefits did not go to the small shareholders giving you their support.
Your commitment would certainly put my mind at ease.

ps. I appreciate that if Bobby succeeds at the EGM you may well launch a hostile bid to protect your investment. My request is for a commitment that if you are successful in replacing the board using small shareholder support, then you will not bid within 5yrs.

Barty is the new CEO and he's really turning this one around---power to the small people!! check it out.

mp, I have a holding in COH and have done well, and as CFE now going down the franchise route (DOM, MYH), I might just join you in these. What's the connection with you and Plymouth??

if you are considering DOM then also look at RTN, both of which are unequivocally first class companies with results to prove.

I have watched Dom since around 50p but never bought-foolishly! Will look at RTN thank you cynic. I live just outside Plymouth on Dartmoor so to me Steven Barlett is a local boy with some gutsy business spirit and at just under 3p and starting to rise cfe is worth an investment ---who knows 5years or so it might be up to dom!

Glorious day today for a change--I'm off out!