Independent Coffee Network Expands

Gail Chiasson, North American Editor

The Independent Coffee Network (which had screens in six stores when we wrote about it on July 29/09) has added two small coffee franchises to its network.

They are Java Jones, based in San Diego with five California locations (ICN is in three) and Zizzo’s, a high end espresso coffee house based in Capitola, in Northern California, and looking to franchise nationally.

ICN has also added a new service for its coffee house distribution partners: It creates three monthly ad spots for the business owners featuring their in-store products for point-of- purchase sales lift.

“By taking a much deeper dive with our distribution partners sales goals, we are forming a deeper bond with them and their loyal customers,” says David Shikiar, ICN’s CEO. “On the ad side, we are creating local ads for our advertising partners, at little or no cost to them, so they can now get video ads that are more entertaining and evoke an emotional response from viewers, rather than standard graphic or Flash ads. Small franchises benefit from our no cost ads ICN creates for them to sell their products at point of purchase at all locations simultaneously. “

ICN is able to efficiently create professional looking ads for the local market because of its deep production and post- production background and creative resources within the company. Shikiar spent over 20 years handling program production for major U.S. television networks and specialty channels; Shawn Sanbar, partner, is founding owner of Atlas Digital, a post-production firm serving the Hollywood film industry; Justin Holt, creative director, works closely with all the artists and musicians who are the content partners.


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