Coffee#1 co-founder launching new café concept

James Shapland, the co-founder of Coffee#1, now owned by Caffe Nero, is planning to launch Coffi Lab – a new café concept.

Propel Info reports that Shapland is researching sites across the South West and South Wales, focusing on high street market towns and neighbourhood centres.

Coffi Lab is aiming to be “a heart-warming, authentic retail coffee brand in a neighbourhood setting”. It is understood Hannah Gillard, current finance director at SA Brain, will become managing director of the new band.

Shapland sold Coffee#1 for an undisclosed sum to SA Brain in 2011, after co-founding it in 2000. Caffe Nero paid nearly £30m to acquire a majority stake in February 2019. It currently operates from over 100 sites.