Caffe Nero: Coffee giant buys independent chain 200 Degrees with site in Leeds city centre

Caffe Nero announced it has completed the purchase of Nottingham-based coffee brand 200 Degrees earlier this week.

Founded in 2012 in Nottingham by Rob Darby and Tom Vincent, 200 Degrees has grown into a successful 21-store coffee brand.

In addition to stores, the business has its own roastery and operates an online e-commerce channel selling directly to customers at home, including a subscription offering.

It opened a site in Bond Street, Leeds city centre, in 2016 and is one of the top-rated places in the city for coffee and sweet treat.

Gerry Ford, The Nero Group founder and chief executive, said: “I’m delighted to welcome 200 Degrees into the Caffè Nero family.

“It is a fantastic brand with an emphasis on great coffee and service combined with a local community-based feel which matches perfectly the ethos of The Nero Group. 200 Degrees has a solid, loyal customer base and has developed a strong regional position.

“Our intention is to support 200 Degrees to continue its growth journey and allow the brand to operate separately alongside the other brands in The Nero Group.”

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Stephen Fern, managing director of 200 Degrees, added: “We are thrilled that the strong market position and growth potential of 200 Degrees has been recognised within the sector, and we are excited to see where our brand can go now that we have become part of The Nero Group family.

“The Nero Group is a great partner for us with its commitment to premium coffee and its strong values as a family-owned company. 200 Degrees itself is a premium brand with a commitment to delivering great experiences.

“The four pillars of our business - our shops, wholesale, e-commerce platform and barista schools – have been bringing better coffee to millions of people across the UK for the last 12 years, delivering excellent customer service and a commitment to breaking down the barriers within specialty coffee.

“With this new partnership, we look forward to introducing even more people to our beans, our people and our passion for creating experiences to remember.”

200 Degrees joins The Nero Group and will sit alongside the group’s other brands: Caffè Nero, Coffee#1, Harris+Hoole and Aroma, making it the fifth brand in the Group.

The Nero Group, which has more than 790 stores in the country, aims to expand the 200 Degrees brand as part of its growth strategy in the UK.