Media release 11 March 2015 Esquires opens first international airport store at Jeddah Esquires Coffee Houses has opened its first ever airport location in Saudi Arabia’s King Abdulaziz Airport which is the gateway to Islam’s Holy City of Mecca. It is Esquires eighth store in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Cooks Global Foods (NZX:CGF) franchisee in Saudi has completed an extended kiosk store at the airport which is less than 20 kms from Jeddah. With 17 million passengers a year – Auckland International Airport processes about 14 million1 - the airport is reputedly the busiest in Saudi Arabia is the third largest in the kingdom. Cooks chairman Keith Jackson says it’s a booming location. 1 Source: Auckland Airport Fast Facts 2013 “The airport covers more than 100 sq kms and there’s a specially designed Hajj Terminal for pilgrims travelling to Mecca as part of the annual pilgrimage.” “Our site is in a prime position and we are delighted with the hugely prestigious location. Already it is trading exceptionally well.” The airport Esquires Coffee House is owned by Cooks’ Saudi franchisee and has a staff of six, all new jobs in a country where the unemployment rate is almost double New Zealand’s at more than 11 per cent2. Mr Jackson says there were some extended negotiations required to gain access to the King Abdulaziz Airport but it took only six weeks for the design and construction of the premises. Cooks New Zealand subsidiary Design Environments provided design input into the new store. The news out of Saudi Arabia follows Cooks’ announcement last week that Esquires China had opened its 21st store in the Peoples Republic and the second in Beijing’s Surprise Outlets, a shopping centre of more than 35,000 sq. m. That store opening was attended by NZ Minister of Trade Tim 2 http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/english/ Groser, created 12 new jobs and Cooks says the opening is representative of a further step in the company’s growth plans for China. Ends About Cooks Global Foods Cooks Global Foods (NZX:CGF) owns the Esquires Coffee Houses brand and system in the Canada, China, United Kingdom and Ireland markets where it owns and also directly franchises stores. CGF also operates Esquires Coffee Houses in a number of countries in the Middle East where stores are franchised through master franchise holders. Issued for Cooks Global Foods by Pead PR Contact: Keith Jackson, Chairman, Cooks Global Foods, Mob: +64 (21) 702 509, Email: [email protected] .