In a move that extends leading Irish Chocolatier Lily O’Brien’s brand presence in the U.S., the company will open the first Lily O’Brien’s Chocolate Cafe in Manhattan.

The New York cafe is the first location on Lily O’Brien’s U.S. market road map. Other cafe locations are already being planned for the New York area and throughout the country. The news was announced following a business breakfast in New York City hosted by Enterprise Ireland, the government agency responsible for driving leadership and growth for innovative Irish companies in international markets. The event was one of several associated with a trade mission to the U.S. led by Ireland’s Prime Minister, Brian Cowen.

The new cafe is conveniently located at 36 West 40th Street in the Bryant Park area, a mid-town oasis, just blocks from Times Square and Grand Central Station. The cafe will serve a mix of signature-blend hot beverages and the luxury award-winning chocolate collections that define the Lily O’Brien brand.

The U.S. cafe operations will be run by Lily O’Brien shareholder, Cathal Queally. According to Queally, “We are very excited to see our first cafe up and running and to expand the Lily O’Brien presence in the U.S. market. We believe we are the first Irish chocolatier to plant roots in the region. In addition to the cafes, our growth strategy includes a plan to capture a share of the corporate/catering market segment, while taking advantage of other business opportunities that can boost our growth.”