Costa

Costa provides the perfect coffee break for millions of customers at more than 350 stores across the UK. Costa is the UK's leading coffee company and it's growing fast, opening some 50 new outlets every year. Some of these are located in complementary retail outlets such as Ottakers and Waterstones bookstores, WHSmith and Homebase stores and Marriott Hotels. Costa also has a number of corporate franchises in the UK, having developed close working relationships with major operators such as Roadchef.

Costa is also expanding rapidly overseas, operating more than 60 outlets in the Middle East through franchise partners, as well as growing businesses in India. Costa is looking to partner corporate franchises within the market to join in this exciting period of worldwide expansion.

Costa's success is built on the genuine Italian expertise of the Costa brothers who imported not only their knowledge of roasting coffee beans, but also the passion of their native Italy for coffee excellence. In 1971 Sergio & Bruno Costa started a wholesale operation supplying roasted coffee to caterers and specialist Italian coffee shops. Drawing on their Italian background and Sergio's experience of blending and roasting coffee in Parma, the brothers established Costa's unique roasting style to create Costa's unique taste. Both the roasting process and their special blend Mocha Italia are mainstays of the Costa business today.

Costa customers have a Fairtrade option through its partnership with Cafédirect in addition to traditional and Earl Grey teas from Teadirect.