Cibo Espresso, creators of Adelaide's authentic Italian coffee revolution from 2000, sold to Gloria Jean's owners in 2024
The original Cibo Espresso outlet on the corner of Rundle and Frome streets, Adelaide city, from 2000. Cibo expanded to other outlets with a success that made outside coffee shop chain such as Starbucks, Gloria Jean’s and Hudsons struggle to make inroads.
CIBO Espresso, the franchise that created Adelaide’s authentic Italian coffee revolution from 2000, was set to disappear as a brand with a 2.7 million takeover by Retail Food Group, owners of the Gloria Jean's cafes chain.
Cibo Espresso's first outlet in 2000 was on the corner of Frome and Rundle streets, Adelaide city. Cibo expanded to other outlets with a success that made outside coffee shop chain such as Starbucks, Gloria Jean’s and Hudsons struggle to make inroads.
Cibo’s founders, Roberto Cardone, Salvatore Pepe, Angelo Inglese and Claudio Ferraro, had become renowned for the Italian experience they presented at their CIBO Ristorante in O’Connell Street, North Adelaide, from 1996. They were convinced Adelaide was ready for a real Italian coffee bar, where patrons were offered artisan-made Italian products in a modern setting. But it took a year to wean the city off scalding hot coffee and foamy cappuccinos. Adelaide has shown up in surveys since as having the most enthusiastic coffee drinkers.
In 2010, as its cafes kept popping up at key locations in the city and suburbs, CIBO Espresso, consolidated all six areas of the business: coffee, the kitchen, administration, gelati, storage and management, into the one building at Windsor Gardens.
After building Australia’s first premium Italian coffee chain, CIBO Espresso owners sold a majority share in the business to Retail Zoo in 2012. Retail Zoo, the parent company of Boost Juice, Salsa's Fresh Mex Grill and Betty's Burgers, was run by Janine and Jeff Allis who built their international chain of Boost Juice bars from one outet in Adelaide. Retail Zoo and CIBO Espresso opened more stores across South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
The Cibo founders still owned and operated the company's SPQR Holdings food business that produced exclusively for the Cibo Espresso stores.
Under the 2024 takeover, Australian-stock-exchange-listed Retail Food Group from Queensland would get “immediate access" to 22 Cibo retail locations including four company-owned outlets. It would invest about $1.3 million into the South Australian network to “provide compelling incentives" for CIBO Espresso franchise partners to accelerate their transition to Gloria Jean’s branding, including Gloria Jean’s cold beverages and food. It said this would give the Cibo outlets a “larger core brand with a global presence”.
Retail Food Group's 100% gain of the share capital of CIBO Espresso Holdings included its intellectual property from Retail Zoo.
