Insider Media Limited

Birmingham coffee shop chain Urban Coffee Company has revealed to Insider plans to open up ten outlets over the next three years. Hannah Wolsey, managing director of the company, said it would target the UK's major cities outside London as it continues to take on high street brands such as Costa Coffee and Starbucks.

Urban Coffee Company, which opened on Birmingham's Church Street in August 2009, also has a site in the Jewellery Quarter.

Having hit a turnover of almost £500,000 in two years, Wolsey said the company was looking to expand out of the city.

"We're hoping to open our third outlet in Manchester early next year, then progress to ten stores within the next three years. We've looked at locations in Glasgow, Leeds and Bristol to name a few – we're basically targeting all the major cities outside London," she said.

Despite facing tough high street competition in the form of global coffee giant Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Café Nero, Wolsey said Urban Coffee Company had an advantage.

"If we need to change an item or our menu or want to try something new, we can do that without having to go through hundreds of people first", she said. "It's a lot easier for our business to adapt to any changes necessary, which we really take advantage of."

Wolsey said that the popular 'flat white' variety of coffee was used by Urban Coffee Company before any other chain.

"We're actually credited for having it on our menu first on Wikipedia," she said. "As the 'flat white' has become more stylish and been taken on by other high-street brands, it has done wonders for our sales."

Wolsey spoke to Insider as she prepared to speak to crowds at the National Franchise Exhibition in the NEC about starting a business.

At the event, which took place this weekend (1-2 October), Wolsey and the company's co-founder Simon Jenner discussed where fledgling businesses can find support, marketing objectives and how businesses can have a positive social impact.

"These events are great for trading ideas and learning from other, more established companies," she said. "It's events like this that we can also spread more awareness of our brand to as many people as possible."