WHO IS VIDA E CAFFE?:
Vida e Café is a coffee chain store which originated in South Africa. The first store was opened on Kloof Street in Cape Town 15 years ago, in 2001. As of 2012 their success as an organisation was proven as they have opened 67 stores in and throughout South Africa and have 2 in London as well as 1 in Angola. The main theme of this entity is ‘ a Portuguese feel’ as Vida e Café mean “life and coffee” in Portuguese. Vida is a widespread national brand. They use a variety of marketing and branding techniques which are unique and have worked to benefit the brand.
THEIR CORE VALUES:
They offer customer’s service excellence, ethical behavior and an experience when associated with the brand. They ensure that they have hand picked all products with careful attention being given to quality and most importantly affordability. The delivery of Vida e Café is the key to their success. They ensure that they always consider their employees first, empowering them to grow their careers within the company. By doing this they have created a culture based on teamwork. By ensuring their employees’ needs and wants are fully satisfied, the desire to give the consumer the best service possible is ensured.
THEIR VISION:
Vida e café is a simple, focused and authentically European café which incorporates and increases the espresso and coffee drinking street culture. Vida strives to be the location where consumers go to connect with friends, use free Wi-Fi, appreciate the goods on offer and create relationships with the impeccable baristas and their service they offer whilst enjoying the highest quality coffee and foods.
THEIR MISSION:
To serve the best espresso and espresso based café beverages to their target market, which is why so much careful consideration goes into the choice of their flavour profile. This best represents their brand in the competitive coffee market in South Africa.
THEIR PRODUCTS AND SERVICE OFFERING:
When Vida first opened their store in 2001 their staple offering was various espresso coffees and pastries only. Throughout the past 15 years they have evolved as a corporation and expanded their menu in order to keep up with the demand of their target markets needs and wants. Currently they have on offer, various breakfast, lunch, lighter healthier meals and sweet options to eat as well as the staple espresso coffee, teas, hot chocolate and refreshing beverages. Vida e Café was one of the 1st independent coffee brands to start selling their own beans to customers to take home. Prior to this most beans had to be purchased in a supermarket. Vida‘s packaging is bright, eye catching and trendy and easily available in store.
SUCCESSES:
Vida e Café started with one store and now has 67 in South Africa and has been successful enough to expand globally to Angola and London. “While the queues are seldom unbearably long, it is almost unheard of to walk up to the counter and find yourself first in line.” (10 September 2008: Jennifer Stern) Fast service is one of Vida e Cafe’s fortes and it’s almost always guaranteed they will have at least one consumer in store. Their business is built on serious savvy marketing and clever strategic relations and is well known for their marketing skills as the Vida e Cafe logo is commonly known and recognized by all coffee drinkers within the South African population.
FAILURES:
However despite its growing success, Vida e Cafe was faced with a R3,39-million court case due to a fraudulent accusation. The owner of three Vida e Cafes opened up a court case against the franchise suing it for R3,39-million in the Cape High Court, claiming that its managing director fraudulently induced it to operate the branches. (Fatima Schroeder: 08 April 2009)
WHY VIDA E CAFE?:
We selected Vida e Café as our South African based company as the coffee industry is one of the biggest niche markets in South Africa and is one of the most popular beverage providers within this market. There are many coffee shops and brands in South Africa, but most are small single operation boutique business and are not commercialized. The one coffee brand that is widely recognized and yet still unique is Vida e Café. Working with a brand which is well established like Vida e Café will ensure the growth of our innovative and consulting firm, Confabulate, as well as assist us with increasing our target market.
VIDA E CAFE ORGANOGRAM:
Confabulate 