Cosmo forced to scrap branded café project

The National Magazine Company (NatMags) is ditching its Cosmo café chain project, a decision that is understood to have been triggered by low consumer interest.

Cosmopolitan’s extension into leisure was called Cosmo Spirit café. It was a much-hyped launch that was first introduced in Manchester last year.

The publishing company was planning to roll out the chain across the UK sometime this year.

This is not the first time that an extension of the Cosmo brand has met with failure. Two years ago, NatMags scrapped Cosmo Yogurts because of falling sales (MW February 22, 2001).

The yogurts, launched in 1999 as a joint venture with MD Foods, comprised a range of low-fat fromage frais, yogurts and soft cheeses. The range was intended to take the Cosmopolitan brand into the health food sector, and was aimed at women aged between 15 and 44.

The Cosmo brand has also been extended into clothing, bed linen, watches, eyewear and electrical haircare appliances such as hairdryers and rollers.

NatMags has exploited the potential of many its magazine brands, including She, Company, Good Housekeeping and Harpers & Queen. Good Housekeeping, for instance, has its own range of baking equipment and recipe books.