Diedrich Signs Deal to Open 50 East Coast Coffeehouses

Diedrich Coffee Inc., continuing to bolster its national presence, said Friday that it has signed an agreement with an East Coast company to open 50 coffeehouses in Connecticut, Massachusetts and upstate New York. The Irvine coffee retailer’s contract with New England Coffeehouses LLP is the latest in a series of deals that Diedrich has signed in the past 12 months to open a total of 477 new coffeehouses. New England Coffeehouses, based in Avon, Conn., will operate the stores as a Diedrich franchisee. Diedrich’s goal is to open 1,200 to 1,500 new coffeehouses over the next five to seven years. This year, Diedrich coffeehouses will open in Florida, North Carolina, Arizona, Oregon and Connecticut. Diedrich opened its 29th store last week in Orange County and plans to open three more later this year.