Interview (in 2003) with owner Yariv Shefa, who founded Aroma with his brother Sahar

Number of Aroma Espresso Bars in Israel: Thirty two in total, including eight in Jerusalem and six in Tel Aviv

Number of employees: About five hundred people. We also work with Elvin, a company that works with handicapped people.

About the name Aroma: We had many possibilities to choose from. We liked this name. It is appropriate for a café. It works, suggesting the aroma of coffee.

What was the vision for the design? Yiftach designed it - to be simple, for "ammami", the masses. But I don't remember much about it.

Why did you open a café? I was a mover for three years in New York. The idea to open a café was my brother's. We wanted a business that worked. We got an idea together and ran with it - to create a cafe that serves the public, with good quality and a limited menu.

About the clientele: People from all parts of society.

Customer's favorite food: People like everything. Soon there will be a roastbeef sandwich. I recommend it.

Owner's favorite food: I always take something else.

History of the building on Emek Refaim: It was a non kosher meat restaurant called Minaret for about thirty years.

 

About the other branches and plans for future branches: Actually at first we only thought to open one place. The first was opened on Hillel Street in central Jerusalem. By 1994, we had two cafes, in 1995 opened another in Mivaseret and in '97 the branch in the German Colony. I want to continue in the same direction. We will be opening a new branch in Cyprus within the next half year. about 500 people work for.