Gloria Jeans to re-enter Turkey with Hacı Sayid

ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News

This file photo shows a Gloria Jeans branch at Istanbul Atatürk Airport. Hürriyet photo

Hacı Sayid, a local cafeteria chain, has become the new master franchise that will bring Australian coffee chain Gloria Jeans back to Turkey. Gloria Jeans, which had been operating in Turkey since 1999, exited the Turkish market earlier in the year after its contract ended with Reysaş.

Gloria Jeans was founded in 1968 and had 38 branches in Turkey. Hacı Sayid’s owner Burhan Dinçerler signed a deal with the Australian coffee franchise three days ago, according to daily Milliyet.

“There were six or seven firms interested in Gloria Jeans. Among these there were construction and food companies, but the company chose us,” said Dinçerler.

Before the deal was signed, Gloria Jeans officials toured Hacı Sayid’s factories and examined working conditions, explained Dinçerler.

“They looked at our 10-year financials. They wanted to work with an established company in this sector with a known brand image,” he added.

Dinçerler said that every year they planned to open 20 new Gloria Jeans branches.

“We are going to start from scratch. Our initial priority is going to be Istanbul and Ankara,” he said.

They plan to open a Gloria Jeans in Istanbul’s high-end Zorlu shopping center, which is slated to open in the near future, according to Dinçerler.

Gloria Jeans is one of the fastest growing global coffee labels, with over 1,000 locations in 40 countries. On February 29 Reysaş, the previous franchise owner, closed six Gloria Jeans branches in Turkey.