Artcaffe firm eyes more CBD eateriesArtcaffe firm eyes more CBD eateries

US private equity firm Emerging Capital Partners (ECP) will open three more eateries in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) after it opened two new Artcaffe restaurants in the city centre recently.

The planned eateries, sources say, includes an Urban Gourmet outlet, an indicator that the firm is banking on the CBD to boost its popular brands.

Brands under ECP’s stable include Artcaffe, Dormans, Tapas Ceviche Bar, Urban Gourmet and Oh Cha Noodle Bar.

The firm’s shift to the Nairobi CBD is part of an aggressive expansion drive that has stepped up competition with rivals such as Java Coffee and fast-food franchise KFC.

Artcaffe recently opened its flagship and largest branch at Westminster House along Kenyatta Avenue and another outlet at Valley Arcade, Lavington.

A month earlier, Artcaffe had launched the Kimathi Street branch right opposite Java and next to KFC.

In 2017, ECP sold its entire stake in casual dining chain Java Coffee to Dubai-based equity firm Abraaj.

The US firm then re-entered Kenya’s casual dining space a year later by acquiring the entire business of Artcaffe Group for Sh3.5 billion.

The acquisition gave ECP control over Artcaffe’s business that consists of bakeries, coffee houses, and eatery brands such as Dormans, Tapas Ceviche Bar, Urban Gourmet and Oh Cha Noodle Bar. Artcaffe first opened shop in Kenya in 2008 and has expanded rapidly with new openings in Nairobi’s shopping malls. The brand, which has 32 outlets to its name, is ramping up presence across the country. In August, it opened its 29th outlet in Kitengela township to seat 130 people.

In 2014, it acquired Dormans Coffee, expanding its footprint in Nairobi and Mombasa to 26 outlets, which granted it an opportunity to sell branded coffee, Artcaffe Fairtrade Coffee Blend sourced from Nyeri and Machakos counties.