Coco and Co Coffee will open on Thursday in Fenham, Newcastle, offering free coffee and £1 matcha on launch day. Co-owners Quaysar Rafique and Muz Amin aim to bring speciality coffee and baked goods to the West End, filling a gap they identified in the area.
Community Focus
Quaysar, who grew up on Fenham Hall Drive, said: "Me and my business partner, we have been drinking speciality coffee for years and always find ourselves going to Heaton and Jesmond. We thought, why has Fenham not got anything like this? We've put our heart and soul into it and we're trying to bring a place for the community."
Opening day will feature a limited menu, with Quaysar adding: "We didn't want to make it really hard by offering everything on day one, but there's enough to cater to everyone's tastes."
Charity Partnership
Coco and Co is encouraging visitors to make a donation to The Chronicle Sunshine Fund in exchange for a free coffee on Thursday. Quaysar said: "It's a business, we want to make money, but I've been involved in charity all my life. If you're going to start a business and you support a local charity, local people can relate to it and it resonates a bit more."
David Wilson, head of The Sunshine Fund, said: "We’re so grateful to Coco & Co Coffee for choosing to support children with disabilities here in the North East as they open their doors in Fenham. Every pound raised will help a local family access specialist equipment that makes their daily life safer, easier and more joyful. It says a lot when you see a new independent business start out with community at its heart."
Future Plans
Quaysar said there are plans for a running club open to all, "irrespective of their fitness levels".
