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Cooks Coffee Co Ltd on Thursday reported lower profit despite higher revenue, as costs climbed in the recent financial year amid rapid expansion in the UK and Ireland. The Auckland, New Zealand-based coffee chain, owner of the Esquires brand, said pretax profit slid 50% to NZ$407,000, around $230,000, in the 12 months to the end of March from NZ$813,000 in financial year 2025. Revenue jumped 90% to NZ$12.8 million from NZ$6.7 million, but employee costs also nearly doubled, to NZ$4.9 million from NZ$2.5 million. Other expenses rose 57% to NZ$4.6 million from NZ$2.9 million, while depreciation and amortisation costs multiplied to NZ$466,000 from NZ$117,000. Cooks Coffee had 105 sites operating in the UK and Ireland at the end of the financial year, up 18% from 89 a year earlier. Executive Chair Keith Jackson said: ‘The focus on market towns, housing developments, retail parks and suburban locations in the UK continues to be an important contributor along with the core elements of the brand of organic coffee products and an enhanced food offering.’ Target store numbers for the UK & Ireland is 300 by financial 2034. Looking ahead, Cooks Coffee said financial 2027 has ‘begun strongly’ with four new stores in the UK, two in Ireland and three being committed in the new international markets. Chair Jackson added: ‘The expansion strategy, combined with strong like-for-like sales growth, demonstrates the company’s resilience and ability to attract and retain customers in both established and new locations.’ Shares in Cooks Coffee were flat at 7.00 pence each on London’s Aquis Exchange on Thursday morning. Copyright 2026 Alliance News Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
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