Cooks Coffee to open Esquires cafés in Tesco Ireland stores

Cooks Coffee Company has agreed a partnership with Tesco Ireland to open five Esquires cafés in selected Tesco stores by the end of November 2025.

The international café group, which owns the Esquires (The Organic Coffee) brand, said the new outlets will be operated by existing franchisees within its Irish network. Tesco currently runs 193 stores across Ireland.

The initial Esquires sites are planned for Arkeen in Waterford, Wexford Town, Clonmel, Tullamore and Youghal.

The company described the agreement as a complementary partnership that will bring Esquires’ premium coffee and food offering to selected Tesco locations.

Cooks Coffee, listed on the New Zealand Exchange (NZX) and Aquis Stock Exchange (AQSE), operates the Esquires brand across multiple international markets.

The news comes as Cooks Coffee Company reported a 26.9% increase in systemwide sales across its Esquires-branded cafés in the UK and Ireland for the first half of its financial year.

For the 26 weeks to 28 September 2025, UK sales were up 26.7% and Ireland sales rose 27.4%. Like-for-like growth also increased 3.5% in the UK and 6.4% in Ireland.

The group opened 11 new stores in the UK and two in Ireland during the period, bringing its estate to 77 and 20 sites respectively. 

Aiden Keegan, Cooks Coffee chief executive, said: “We are delighted to be rolling out our stores within Tesco in Ireland, and we are looking forward to working with Tesco.”