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LOCALLY grown coffee retailer Zarraffa’s is on a franchise drive in north Queensland where it has identified growth opportunities as it looks to expand on its existing 43 stores.
Zarraffa’s founder and CEO Kenton Campbell says regional targets include Townsville, Mackay, Emerald, Warwick, Gladstone and Cairns.
“We view any franchise partnership just like a marriage so we look for people interested in creating a profitable relationship by using our methodology and training that we have honed over the past 13 years in business,” he says.
“We’re on target to open our 50th store next year but we won’t sacrifice smart business along the way. Our plan is to source the right locations and match these with suitable franchisees.”
The 2008 Gold Coast Business News Young Entrepreneur of the Year, says the franchise model has showed resilience during challenging times.
”Coffee has been a luxury consumers haven’t foregone during the recent financial crisis. Current growth figures are at 15 per cent for in-store while group growth is at 22 per cent,” says Campbell.
“A number of our current franchisees were taken in by the product and knew the brand from first-hand experience, while some were looking for a change of career. We have also have had some ex-staff members attain their own franchise after working their way through the ranks, which I think is another important indication of our success as a company.”
Zarraffa’s started out as a roasting house on the Gold Coast in 1995 with its mantra ‘to create an individually perfect cup of coffee – every time’.
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