How to Find a Coffee Franchise Opportunity

The Internet is filled with information about beginning and running your own business. More importantly it is also filled with information that is particularly relevant to beginning your own franchise business. If you are interested in purchasing a coffee franchise you need to begin by gathering the facts and the Internet is a great place to do just that.

A simple search on almost any major search engine will net many results for franchise opportunities that are related to coffee. Your best bet is to go to several different franchise websites that offer pertinent information on various franchises within a given category. In this instance you would want to search for services that offer information specifically regarding coffee franchises. Franchise Gator is a great place to begin your search though other search engines such as Franchise Advantage and Gaebler.com are also excellent resources when searching for various franchise opportunities.

These websites are also excellent resources for information about the franchises and shouldn't be used as a mere listing service (or you are wasting a valuable resources). Of course if you are looking for a list of franchises alone and then wish to narrow them down after you've taken a few moments to get the basics about each coffee franchise business then this is a great place to begin.

The bottom line is that you can find almost every coffee franchise opportunity in the United States and several across the globe by performing a simple search online and planning to spend a good deal of quality time sifting through the results. If you prefer to take the easy route, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that, the websites and directories mentioned above are excellent tools for your arsenal.

What these sites do is eliminate a lot of flipping from one website to the next searching for information and guidance by putting all the information you'll need in one place. It makes the search much more convenient while also making an easy reference point for you to return to for information as you narrow down the coffee franchise businesses you are most interested in pursuing. Use these tools wisely and they will serve you well on your coffee franchise search.

Before committing to one coffee franchise opportunity however you should do a much more complete study of the franchise than you will find on most of these directories. You will want to know how well the company is doing as a whole and what the financial forecast and outlook for the parent company are before buying into the franchise frenzy.

The reason most people decide to pursue a coffee franchise opportunity is to achieve financial security and even prosperity. For this reason you want to make a decision about your coffee franchise that will help you achieve those goals. Take the time to do the work before you invest and make decisions based on reason with a plan for profit rather than based on emotion and a hope for a payoff on your efforts.

How to Compare One Coffee Franchise to Others

A coffee franchise in most areas is a solid business decision. The complication often arises when deciding on one coffee franchise over its many worthy competitors. There are many franchises on the market that offer coffee as a primary source of revenue. Consider some of the following things when deciding which coffee franchise is the best one to meet your needs while promising the most solid financial future for your business needs.

Start up fees. Different coffee franchises will have different requirements for building space, design, décor, equipment, inventory, and other associated fees in order to begin your business. Make a list of all the franchises you are interested in purchasing, the fees involved in starting the business, and what is included in those fees as well as what other money you may need to come up with on the front end of your business venture.

Financing. Many coffee franchises have resources to help those who wish to buy into the franchise find financing. Some do not however. If there are opportunities for financing within the franchise this is a plus to many would be franchise owners while others prefer to come up with their own financing. Some franchises also require those who buy into the franchise to have a certain amount of money to invest in addition to any financing. You need to hammer out all the fine print and financial details before making any decisions or property purchases.

Franchise fees. Every franchise has fees associated with buying into the franchise. In essence you are 'renting' the name of the parent company in order to run your business. Each franchise will have certain requirements of those who buy into the franchise by means of monthly fees, advertising contributions, required inventory, and other requirements that may not exactly be financial (among these are uniforms, store policies, and procedures for paperwork). Understand before buying into a coffee franchise exactly how much the franchise fees will be each year (or what percentage of your revenue will be required) and what those fees buy you as the franchise owner.

Training/Support. This is the final of the major considerations you need to check when comparing one coffee franchise with others. A company that offers a true partnership and extensive training and support to franchise owners is worth its weight in gold. You need to find out how much training and support are offered, how they are offered, when they are offered, and what this will mean to you as a franchise owner. A company that offers virtually unlimited training to help you get business up and running is worth more money and higher fees than those that leave you to tread water until you sink or swim.

Consider each of these things when comparing coffee franchises for purchase. Decide which issues are most important to you and which franchise opportunity is most likely to offer all the things you are looking for your investment. That will be the best possible choice though you might want to keep a top 3 list in case something falls through in the process.

Finding a Coffee Franchise with Flair

There are many ways to add a bit of flair to most businesses. Unfortunately most franchise businesses frown on adding flair that isn't uniform. For this reason, if you want something a little more than a cup of coffee out of your coffee franchise (other than profits of course) you might want to make sure you plan for that in the beginning and seek coffee franchise opportunities that have a little bit more than just a cup of Joe to get your motor running.

Why would you want more than coffee in your coffee franchise?

This is actually a great question and the answer is quite simple. Not everyone likes to drink coffee. I know that many of you out there just fainted dead away but it's true. There are those among us who do not infuse coffee directly into the veins each and every morning to wake up. In addition there are those who go so far as to not liking coffee at all. It's a sad state in which to exist I know but there you have it. If your business offers more than a cup of coffee to your customers and clientele you are going to be able to capitalize on those who come along with friends but aren't as thrilled to be in a coffee shop. In fact, if you offer the right combinations and selections you just might find a loyal customer base that doesn't ever purchase coffee in your franchise store.

The good news is that there are many coffee franchises that offer a little bit more than coffee for franchise owners to serve. My personal favorite is one such business that offers fudge and coffee though this is certainly not the only calorific option available. There are plenty of businesses that combine a bakery with a coffee franchise or a café atmosphere with the coffee culture. Some newer businesses are also combining smoothies with their coffee options.

If you are like many of the people that inhabit the United States you are probably well aware that there are plenty of coffee drinkers out there. If you open a coffee franchise in an area that isn't already saturated with coffee franchises and provide excellent quality and service chances are that your business will do well whether your focus solely on coffee or offer those extras that you might find interesting on a personal level.

There really is no one right or wrong option to make when selecting your coffee franchise only the decision that is either right or wrong for you. Not everyone wants a business with a split focus and there is a good bit of argument in favor of a business that does one thing and does that one thing exceptionally well. It is up to you which of these will be appealing to you. If you grow quickly bored with the same thing variety may be the perfect spice of life however, if you are the type of person that enjoys the idea of perfecting one thing then you might be more inclined to stick with coffee and make your coffee franchise business the best on the block by far.

Coffee Franchise v Building a Unique Business

Building a business from the ground floor is a very time consuming, emotionally taxing, and financially straining prospect. This is one reason that franchise businesses are so popular among those seeking the security of business ownership but not willing to risk their financial futures and security in the effort. The price that is paid for the lower risk of franchise ownership is lower profits while the business is being built in the form of franchise fees and expenses related to following the rules and requirements of the franchise organization.

The problems with building a business of your very own are plentiful. The first hurtle to overcome is that the average first time business owner doesn't know beans about coffee much less about the market, building a business plan, or operating a business. This is problematic if you are pursuing something as specialized as coffee for your business. A coffee franchise does not only provide a product and concept for running a business but also provides valuable training on the product as well as the process of running a business. This knowledge alone is well worth the franchise fee when you choose a great partnership for your business.

Coming up with a concept that is unique and trendy is another problem that most first time business owners face. It's great if you have a fabulous concept and the know how to implement that concept it can be disastrous if you are lacking one or the other however. The coffee franchise builds upon someone else's concept and implementation. This means that you learn from the trial and error of other people saving time and money in the process while turning over an even great profit much sooner than if you were building your own business from the ground floor.

A coffee franchise is often preceded by its reputation. This is another benefit that is huge when it comes to expensive advertising and name recognition. If you have a name that people know before they walk in the door then your customers know what to expect and you will have customers that come to you because they tried the franchise elsewhere and liked it. People enjoy doing what is familiar to them for the most part and you can capitalize on the efforts of others to build a reputation to catapult your own.

Franchises are essentially partnerships. The parent company is dedicated to your success because they have their name attached to your store. While they aren't necessarily silent partners in the running of your business (as most franchises have very strict formulas for success) they are going to make their best effort to help you succeed as a partner rather than a competitor. This is good for you as a coffee franchise owner as you have someone that is willing to help you succeed. Most people going it alone are doing just that and have no one there to help them work through the rough spots or offer training, education, or encouragement.

Coffee Franchise Options

One thing that coffee franchises offer that very few types of franchises have to offer is options. There are literally tons of options for the coffee franchise that simply do not exist for other franchises because of the types of businesses that many of them are. Coffee is a business that can be done in a small amount of space or it may occupy an entire store with fresh coffee, brewed coffee, and dozens of other options.

If you are looking for an excellent business but are afraid to work yourself into one particular mold a coffee franchise might be an excellent choice for you to put your research efforts into learning more about. In addition to finding coffee franchises of varying sizes and scope you will also find wide variances in price from one franchise to the next Many franchises are quite expensive to purchase and operate while some of the coffee franchises available on the market are surprisingly low in start up costs and overhead. It depends, as mentioned above, largely on what your plans and expectations may be.

The first coffee franchise that you might want to consider and the one that requires the smallest investment is the kiosk. This is a very small venture for your investment dollar that doesn't promise the eye glazing profits that some of the larger franchise stores present but does at least offer an affordable entrance into the world of franchise ownership. By purchasing one adding another to your portfolio once you get the first up and running you have the potential to add more to your investment portfolio and build a substantial income.

The drive thru coffee shop is the second on the list. This is a great high volume business. There are some that choose to have two drive thru windows so that more business can be accommodated simultaneously. This is a great business decision if your coffee franchise store is located in an area that is busy enough to accommodate both windows. The expenses in an operation such as this are a little more than a kiosk but not as much as a walk in coffee shop.

The walk in coffee shop requires a more substantial investment. The options are to offer freshly brewed coffee to guests who enter as well as a few snacks that compliment coffee and quite possibly some coffee for your customers to carry home for their brewing pleasure. These little hot spots are not as comfy cozy as most coffee bistros are coffee houses but tend to turn a nice tidy profit for those that are willing to make the investment.

A coffee house is going to be one of the more significant investments when it comes to a coffee franchise sort of business. Most of these will have some sort of prevailing theme, excellent coffee, a few options for those who do not like coffee, and a delicious dessert or two for those who need a few additional calories to finish off the experience or get the morning going.

There is no right or wrong way to build your coffee franchise only the method that you are most comfortable building. Decide which of these is best for you and then compare your options.