Zarraffa's opens 80th store following SA expansion – BeanScene

Zarraffa’s Coffee’s goal of operating 200 stores by the 2032 Brisbane Olympics has passed a significant milestone following the launch of its 80^th store and new drive-thru location at Logan Village in south-east Queensland.

The Queensland company recently announced the acquisition of Adelaide drive-thru specialty coffee chain First Things First, which has seen it enter the South Australian market for the first time.

The new Logan Village location has been opened by multi-site franchisee Leah Meares and her husband Jason, who now operate three Zarraffa’s stores.

Zarraffa’s Coffee CEO Marnie Sheldon says adding a new site in the strategic Logan growth corridor is key to the company’s lofty expansion goals.

“This is an incredibly exciting pocket of SEQ, and Logan Village is booming. The area is transforming from a rural precinct to a vibrant hub for families, commuters, and small businesses, and we’re proud to be a part of that momentum,” Marnie says.

“Leah and Jason are the perfect operators to lead that charge, and this is an exciting milestone for their family as they open the doors to their third store. They have been part of the Zarraffa’s family for over 13 years and are proud brand ambassadors with a strong passion for the community.”

The new store will create more than 24 jobs for locals through a dedicated recruitment and training program, with Leah and Jason now staffing 85 people across their stores.

Abbey, one of the lead baristas from the Loganlea store, will be one of a number of staff transitioning to the new store to ensure a smooth opening on 6 May.

“We’re not just offering new jobs, our family business is supporting other families, and that sense of care and connection is what sets us apart,” Leah says.

“We will be bringing along a couple of familiar faces from our Loganlea store to ensure a seamless customer experience. Alice has been our Assistant Manager for many years, and Abbey is one of our Lead Baristas, both will be joining the Logan Village team to ensure that same level of consistent quality and service from day one.”

Zarraffa’s launched its first drive-thru store concept in 2009 and launched the first iteration of its drive-thru evolution at Beaudesert in 2023.