Overview:
Java House launches its 104th African branch in Naguru, debuting an in-house delivery service to provide direct-to-customer dining without middlemen.
Coffee chain Java House has opened its 10th outlet in Uganda, marking 12 years of operation in the country.
The new branch, located at Shell Naguru in Kampala, brings the company’s total footprint to 104 locations across East Africa.
The expansion is expected to provide a boost to local employment. Priscilla Gathungu, the chief executive of Java House, said each new restaurant creates jobs for up to 40 young people.
“We employ right after high school and no degree or training is needed as we do our own upskilling,” Ms Gathungu said during the opening ceremony.
“People who started out as dishwashers are now managers of restaurants. This means opportunities come with every new restaurant that we open.”
Supply chain
The company also revealed that 97 percent of its supplies are sourced from within Uganda. This includes staples such as coffee, flour, poultry and potatoes.
Churchill Ododa, from Biyinzika Poultry International, said the expansion was a positive move for the agricultural sector.
“For the nation it provides employment opportunities, but for suppliers like us, it means business increases,” he said.
Direct delivery
As part of the launch, the brand has introduced its own in-house delivery service. The move allows customers to order directly through an online portal, removing the need for third-party “middlemen” apps.
Java House Uganda country manager Eusila Jepleting said the Naguru site was chosen specifically to support this new service, with a target delivery time of between 30 and 45 minutes.
The company, which was founded in Nairobi in 1999, now operates a network of restaurants across Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda.