franchise.co.nz – PUTTING PEOPLE IN BUSINESS
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If there is magic in a formula, General Manager of Foodco NZ, Pete Hartley
has no hesitation in stating where it lies. “It’s our franchisees,” he says
emphatically. “It is their love, passion and energy which is driving our growth.
The foundation of that is our franchisee training and consistency of quality
coffee and food. These are compelling reasons for customers to keep
choosing us, and our most recent customer satisfaction survey absolutely
demonstrated that.”
Pete became GM of Foodco in 2024 “because it ticked all the boxes.” After
nearly four decades in senior roles with many of the biggest supermarket
brands across Australia and New Zealand, Pete saw that the two Foodco
brands, Jamaica Blue and Muffin Break, were ripe for growth. “It’s been fantastic
to see the plan move into great execution, with us delivering 10% growth in the
last year – and there’s plenty more opportunities coming this year!” he adds.
Pete asserts that although the economic climate may be challenging, Jamaica
Blue and Muffin Break are the leading lights in a good news story. “These
two brands are performing really well,” he says. “Our customers are loving
the experiences our cafes offer, and on the back of that we are growing our
presence which is producing a lot of interest among potential franchisees.
That’s really encouraging and the proof is in the pudding; in the last 12
months we’ve opened two Jamaica Blue outlets in North Shore Hospital, a
brand new one in Ponsonby and a new Muffin Break kiosk in Richmond Mall.
This level of growth bodes well for the year ahead.”
Absolutely buzzing
In addition to the brand-new store openings, Pete recently sold an
established Muffin Break in Glenfield to a new franchisee. Sumit Thummar
only took over full control a few weeks ago but is absolutely buzzing about
his experiences so far, and the future of his new business.
“Since joining as a franchisee, my experience with Foodco has been very
positive,” smiles Sumit. “The on-boarding and training provided a strong
foundation, and the ongoing support from the team has been excellent –
always responsive and helpful. This has made it much easier to manage daily
operations and focus on growing the business. Sales have been progressing
well, and we achieved almost 28% growth last month, which has been very
encouraging. This has given me great confidence in the system and allows me
to focus on improving performance and delivering a great customer experience.”
Experience not required
Foodco is one of Australasia’s leading food and coffee franchise business
retailers, with over 500 outlets across seven countries. Muffin Break has
become one of New Zealand’s most-loved bakery cafés since the first
franchise was established in 1994. Jamaica Blue has made significant inroads
as the café brand of choice in Auckland’s major hospitals, including the two
new company-owned stores at North Shore.
“Generally, our policy is to find a site, connect the brand to the local
community and then find the right franchisee to fit the business,” says Pete. “I
would encourage any potential franchisee not to limit themselves. Experience
in food or beverage is not required – we train our franchisees in all aspects.
If you think you live in the wrong place – think again. We may well have a
Muffin Break or Jamaica Blue planned in your area. We have a network of
existing cafés and kiosks from Silverdale to Invercargill, and opportunities
everywhere in between.”
Consistency and top-notch training
Foodco are proud of the comprehensive training course they have in place
for all franchisees. “I know how intense it is,” says Pete, “as I’ve done it! It
covers everything you need to know over two weeks in our Sydney Centre
of Excellence. The purpose-built facility has a commercial kitchen staffed by
highly qualified trainers. Coffee-making to a qualified barista level, financial
management, recruitment and hiring, and coaching and leadership are all
part of a fun programme.”
Foodco has concentrated upon consistency as a strong draw card, as Pete
explains. “All our beans are roasted in Auckland and distributed direct to the
stores. There is a wide range of recipes and food we serve, but there is no
need to employ a chef – our training covers that, and food is predominantly
produced in each café or kiosk, so all our customers know it is fresh every
day. The consistency of everyday freshness and top-quality roasted coffee
beans has led to increasing success.”
“Some of our franchisees are now multi-store owners,” Pete continues, “which
is an excellent endorsement of the quality of our formula. As a rule of thumb,
we first seek out sites we feel would make good locations for our brands and
work through the due diligence and commercial terms of lease, so everything
is in place for the prospective franchisee. We have a pool of applicants lined
up to select from, and at that point we will move in to complete the design
and fit-out for you.”
The costs of establishing a Muffin Break or Jamaica Blue outlet are so variable
that Pete would prefer to crunch
numbers face-to-face with potential
franchisees. “We’re not just ripe
for growth,” he concludes, “we are
growing and seeking ambitious
people keen to be masters of their
own destiny. If you can see the
potential here and are keen to
grasp this opportunity while it’s
on the up, don’t hesitate to call
me – we might just have the right
location in your home town!”
Franchisee passion is pushing Foodco
brands Jamaica Blue and Muffin Break
into steady expansion
GROWTH
THROUGH
CONSISTENCY
Opportunity: Food & Beverage
Muffin Break & Jamaica Blue
www.muffinbreak.co.nz
www.jamaicablue.co.nz
Contact
Pete Hartley
027 772 2257
phartley@foodco.co.nz
Advertiser Info
Sumit Thummar: ‘Great
confidence in the system’