New Zealand based shell company Cooks Food Group is set to purchase the master franchising rights to Esquires Coffee in countries across the world. 

The company has entered a conditional sale and purchase agreement with Franchise Development Ltd (FDL), a New Zealand company owned by Stuart and Lewis Deeks.

The pair is responsible for founding the Esquires Coffee brand, and they sold its master franchising rights to Retail Food Group in Australia and New Zealand in 2011.

FDL and its sister companies currently have the master franchising rights for Esquires Coffee in other parts of the world, including Asia, the Pacific Islands, the Middle East and North Africa.

FDL has used the $1.3 million advance from Cooks to purchase Canadian company Esquires Coffee International, Inc.

Esquires Coffee International, Inc. owns the master franchising rights to Esquires Coffee in countries other than New Zealand, Australia and Canada, such as Ireland and the United Kingdom.

If the agreement is approved the brand’s founders will become the largest shareholders of Cooks, with a hold of more than 50 percent.

Furthermore, the agreement outlines they will be issued with shares if there is group over-performance.

If all goes to plan and Cooks acquires FDL, it will change its name to Cooks Global Foods.