All is not what it seems in the wonderful world of independent coffee shops.
There is an impostor in our midst it seems. Yes, Tesco has been outed as a major (up to 49%) shareholder in a chain of coffee shops that's had everyone duped.
Who knew that behind the stylish, artisan façade of Harris + Hoole stands the corporate giant that is Tesco – apparently the recipient of £1 in every £8 spent on the High Street.
Not surprisingly, Tesco doesn’t advertise its association with the super cool cafes (London
As one corporate reputation expert puts it ‘large global brands realise there is a generic dislike of superbrands, so they often like to appear smaller than they are to avoid negative publicity.’
Indeed – don’t forget the likes of Ben and Jerry’s, Innocent, Green and Blacks and Teapigs are all owned by large corporations.
For some it’s the lesser of two evils – they’d rather give their money to Tesco than Starbucks, while for others the big chains provide somewhere to go when they can’t get a seat in their real local independent.
In Whitstable, for example, there are huge fears that the arrival of chains such as Harris + Hoole will damage the character of the town, forcing genuine independents out by driving up rents.
And they have a point – take Norwich Norwich
After all, remember what’s happening to village pubs, phone boxes and schools….
And just in case you were wondering, Expresso is truly independent. And pleased to be at your service.
www
