Northern Ireland’s largest independently-owned, scaled artisan coffee chain Ground Espresso Bars is expanding its offering through the introduction of state-of-the-art ‘Ground To Go’ vending machines for communal workspaces, gyms, leisure centres, health facilities, forecourts and office buildings across Northern Ireland.
Addressing the common issue of sub-standard coffee from vending machines and after an extensive two-year research and development project and an investment of over £200k into the development of the ‘smart’ vending machine, Ground is bringing this state of the art project to Northern Ireland with a machine that offers 35 drink selection combinations including bespoke Fairtrade coffees, teas and hot chocolate.
“Artisan coffee has become increasingly popular in Northern Ireland in recent years and now, more than ever, consumers are prioritising quality coffee over simple convenience when choosing where to spend their hard-earned cash,” said Jonny Ross, Regional Manager, Ground Espresso Bars.
“Not only does ‘Ground To Go’ offer convenience, but – thanks to cutting edge technology we are able to offer our bespoke coffee blends through these machines ensuring a great tasting cup of coffee made to the customer’s specifications.”
Offering the most diverse range of drinks available from a vending machine ranging from a simple cup of tea to a quality flat white, ‘Ground To Go’ also delivers a much fresher drink than a traditional vending machine, catering to an increasingly busy yet conscious consumer.
An engaging HD touchscreen with animated story relating to the chosen beverage keeps the customer entertained while their bespoke drink is prepared, and point-of-sale can be tailored to suit location including pay-at-till, smartphone and contactless payment options.
“We understand that consumers are growing increasingly busy, and whether they’re spending more time in the office or on the school run, our customers are not always able to nip out for cup of their favourite coffee. We developed ‘Ground To Go’ following feedback from customers that their in-office cup of joe was letting them down. We are delighted to bring the quality coffee that Ground is famous for directly to our customers to offer them that much-needed mid-day caffeine hit or the perfect treat to pick up a day at the office. Ground To Go’s uniquely developed Halo machine is able to provide a craft coffee, tea or hot chocolate using fresh ingredients including fresh full fat or semi-skimmed milk which is added daily and freshly ground coffee beans – no powdered milk and stale coffee here!” added Louise Moss, Training and Development Manager, Ground Espresso Bars.
‘Ground To Go’ is available through flexible partnerships with Ground Espresso Bars. A ‘Ground To Go’ machine can be rented with supplies purchased from Ground. The machine is then operated, filled, cleaned and maintained by the client, with a fixed rate applied over three years and full training provided free of charge.
A profit-share scheme is also available where a ‘Ground To Go’ machine is supplied, filled, cleaned and maintained on a daily basis by Ground Espresso Bars, with the client receiving a percentage of the net sales on a monthly basis.
For further information on Ground Espresso Bars’ new ‘Ground To Go’ offering visit http://www.groundcoffee.net/.
About Ground Espresso Bars
Ground Espresso Bars currently employ over 260 staff across 21 stand-alone stores and concessions in Ireland.
The company continues to work hard to retain the Ground mission to provide a haven for customers where comfort, friendship, happiness, quality and ethics become synonymous with their name.
