International Franchisor of the Year for 2009, Gloria Jean's Coffees, has continued its expansion and opened its first coffee house in Lebanon.

The market opening in Beirut's Hamra district takes the global specialty coffee brand's presence to 917 coffee houses across 38 Master Franchises in 37 countries worldwide.

Lebanon Master Franchise Partner, The Purple Concept, was appointed in October 2009 to launch Gloria Jean's Coffees in the market. The group also runs a convenience grocery outlet business in Beirut and plans to open two additional Gloria Jean's franchises in Lebanon by 2011.

According to executive chairman of Gloria Jean's, Nabi Saleh, the new store is doing well, serving 150 guests on its first day of trading.

"The Middle East is one of the world's most rapid retail growth regions where we've enjoyed considerable expansion over the last few years," he said. "While this market has a traditionally strong coffee drinking culture, we are bringing a new experience to our guests in Beirut."

The new store has been attracting even more attention because it is one of the few 'smoke-free' cafes in the market, gaining support by the local public health authorities and university students.

"Our smoke-free store has been welcomed by the local community in a city where the concept is still widely unavailable. We enjoyed a very successful first week of trading and expect Beirut to be a hugely valuable addition to our growing Middle Eastern market," Saleh said.