ZARRAFFA'S COFFEE

At the outset, it was noted that the local coffee market failed to provide anything other than a rush of outlets on-selling all manner of mass produced coffee brands. Based on recent experience gleaned from the USA, and a little old-fashioned legwork, a potentially lucrative niche market in gourmet roasted coffee was identified.

The location and rebuilding of a slightly used coffee bean roaster, the renting of nondescript commercial premises in a Southport backstreet, and the theming of a much used ex-Telstra delivery van, represented the first definite steps. The adopting of Zarraffa's (Arabic for giraffe) as the name of the business was carefully engineered to portray an exotic yet earthy theme, and a desire to stand head and shoulders above the rest.

Since then, the business has maintained a steady pattern of growth, as is evident both in gross turnover figures and a consistent increase in profile. This has been demand driven, and is despite efforts to maintain conservative levels of expansion, consistent with the initial desire to satisfy the needs of a somewhat exclusive minority market.

The position of Zarraffa's Coffee as a viable stand alone entity was confirmed with the opening of its first main-stream retail outlet in Australia Fair in 1997, and consolidated via a doubling in size of those premises within the ensuing twelve months.

The opening of premises within the Harbour Town centre (mid 1999) which incorporated Head Office, and production facilities and a second Australia Fair outlet (mid 2001) was evidence at the time that the business was a hit.

This was further reinforced with the sale of the first Zarraffa's franchise which opened in the Myer Centre (Brisbane CBD) in early October of 2001, followed by a further 21 stores in the 6 years which followed.