CAIRO: Second Cup, Canada s largest specialty coffee retailer, will be opening five outlets in Cairo by the end of 2007, with an additional 30 planned by the end of 2009 across Cairo, Hurghada, and Sharm El-Sheikh. The official opening of the first outlet in Mohandiseen will be June 27, with the soft opening this Wednesday. Second Cup will be donating 50 piasters of every Schwepps water bottle sold in-house to the Children s Cancer Hospital (CCHE 57357). Amgad Abdallah, vice chairman of R&D for Plaza Property Management, the Egyptian sub-franchisee of Second Cup, says he aims for approximately 400 water bottles to be sold per day per store. In addition, Second Cup will coordinate with CCHE 57357 to promote and announce relevant events and information. Abdallah told The Daily Star Egypt that Second Cup would be generally less expensive than Starbucks, but more expensive than the rest of the existing coffee chains. All products are imported. Their selling point, he says, will be the variety of their products which he says is much wider than what already exists in the market, including 45 types of tea and about 40 different types of coffee beans offered. Additionally, Abdallah says he hopes Second Cup will have a comfortable, homey atmosphere. He explains the company s targeting of the Middle Eastern market in particular: The Middle East is not used to drinking good coffee, saying it is a relatively new market in comparison to the European market, for example, with fierce established competition. Second Cup currently operates in Canada and across the Middle East. Canadian Ambassador Phillip MacKinnon has led a year-long set of activities held by different embassies called Color for Peace to support the Children's Cancer Hospital. CCHE 57357 is a national project aiming to meet international standards while providing free health care to children with cancer.
