Independent coffee chain to open latest venue in heart of city centre

A rapidly growing coffee shop business is to open its latest venture in the heart of Manchester city centre.

Foundation Portland, the latest venue to be launched by the rapidly expanding Foundation Coffee House brand, will open at 11 Portland Street.

The prime location is opposite Piccadilly bus station and is part of the Aviva Investors portfolio.

The coffee shop is owned and operated by award-winning design and branding studio NoChintz.

The company already has two other branches in the Northern Quarter and Whitworth Street.

The design-led venues offer spaces where people can work, relax or socialise.

The new venue space will offer a brighter and fresher surround than its sister destinations, with bespoke lighting, a raw but polished aesthetic and an added focus on the take-out options best suited to Portland Street.

Dominic Beardwell, director, said: “As a design practice operating its own food and beverage business we are lucky to be able to approach new ventures with a real understanding of how much design, atmosphere and quality matters. I think that’s part of the reason we have had so much success.

“We are planning to grow the business organically but at the same time we do have our eye on continuous expansion.

“We are conscious not to create identikit environments, so as we develop across the city you’ll find that underlying Foundation philosophy wherever you go, but realised through design and service that meets the needs of a particular area or a specific demographic.”