The Dulce Story

The first Dulce retail store opened in Rink Street in Port Elizabeth in 1984.Dulce became synonymous with a high quality ice-cream product in the Eastern Cape. The product was manufactured on site and sold from the machines to the customer across the counter ie “straight from the cow to the cone”. After numerous requests from people wanting to set up replicas of the Rink Street store run by Lee Caldecott , the Dulce Café Franchise Operation was established in the early 90′s. The experience gained by developing and running these stores was the ideal way to create a winning concept, business system and menu. Mike Pullen, now the MD of Dulce, joined the group in 1994, contributing his management and financial skills which created a strong management team which is still part of the Dulce group today.

Between 1995 and 2003, over 25 more stores were opened nationally, concentrating on regional shopping centres, and small towns or niches where they had captured markets. The last 2 years were a period of consolidation after a management buy out of the Franchise , and the real Dulce Café Franchise of today was born. The coffee shop industry had become saturated in the South African market and especially in regional shopping centres. Dulce therefore carried out extensive research throughout Europe and the UK in order to establish a certain concept that would be more suitable for alternative market environments and require less capital, hence the establishment of the Dulce Espresso concept.The Dulce Espresso Bars can be found in captured markets such as hospitals, universities, business parks, casino’s, hotels and airports. Many of these smaller outlets have the ability to achieve the same bottom line as the larger outlets, because of their lower overhead cost structures. What makes Dulce stand out from the overcrowded coffee market? “Dulce has captured a niche in the market by placing ourselves strategically between a restaurant and a coffee shop, classifying ourselves as a continental café or espresso bar in the true European tradition by serving 4 major products, namely, food, liquor, coffee and ice-cream”.

Martin Fuller, joined as business development director of Dulce, adding his international business experience background to the team. Our marketing consultant Brigid Ryall, came on board full time as the National Marketing Manager. Also, an initial exploration into the selling of the Dulce Franchising concept into countries or regions outside South Africa as Master Licences was started in 2004. Dulce Café grew steadily locally in South Africa throughout 2005 , and offices were established in all the major centres in South Africa. The Operations Support department was restructured, and Tracy Harris was appointed as the Financial Director, An agreement was signed with Remza , a Bahraini based company to expand the Franchise into certain areas of the Middle East in 2006. The first international Dulce was opened in September 2006 in Bahrain . Dulce Café increased its advertising drive through its newly appointed advertising company, Artifact, and a whole new corporate ID was rolled out by mid year, culminating in a TV advertising campaign from late 2006. Dulce also expanded outside its SA borders into the SADC area with stores opening in Namibia and Gabarone in 2007.

The Dulce group expanded in late 2007 / early 2008, in setting up 2 more Franchise concepts:

Dulce Cafe’s successful expansion with our partners in the Middle East , was halted, and mutually dissolved in 2009 when both parties expansion plans diverged significantly . Dulce has since sought out a “better fit” partner , and in 2010 / 2011 negotiated a partnership & signed a deal with a Saudi based company ; Franchise Experts , to open stores in Saudi Arabia and the MENA countries , the first store being opened in late 2011 in Riyadh.

Further expansion in Africa will also take place, with stores planned to open in Q3/Q4 2011 in Ghana and Tanzania .

Imported Italian Pizza’s were added to the menu in 2010.

It was decided to look externally to the company , utilising experts in their fields , to develop a new store design and a new menu A process was started in early 2010 , culminating in an exciting new store design and new menu . The menu was implemented immediately in late 2010, and the roll out of new stores and steady revamp of existing stores is in progress from 2011.

The Dulce Espresso bar concept, has been replaced by Dulce Lite in 2011 – a smaller faster menu for smaller sites, with a lower set up and operating cost.