5 Questions to Ask When Considering a Specialty Coffee Franchise

Are you thinking about starting a specialty coffee franchise? Coffee seems to be an almost integral part of modern life for many people. It’s understandable that you’d be interested in opening a coffee shop.

But specialty coffee franchises are a little different from ordinary coffee franchises. It’s not an insignificant detail, either – but it can be confusing for newcomers to the industry.

Is your mind swimming with questions about coffee? Don’t worry! We’ll go through five common questions you may have when considering a coffee franchise.

Get ready to explore the world of specialty coffee, from initial costs to the support you’ll receive.

1. What Is Specialty Coffee?

We’ve all had a straightforward cup of coffee. You can probably smell the enchanting aromas of a warm cup of joe just at the mention of it.

But people sometimes get confused by ‘specialty’ coffee. The term is thrown around a lot, meaning the exact definition is often lost. If you’re moving into the industry, it’s important to understand exactly what makes specialty coffee so unique.

In short, specialty coffee is the best of the best.

Of course, you’ll always want to serve your customers the best coffee possible. It’s at the heart of every coffee shop: serve delicious coffee to loyal customers.

Specialty coffee is the best quality coffee you can find. It’s quality that is apparent not just at the harvesting of excellent coffee beans, but at every subsequent step of the process. From when it’s grown to the moment when it’s brewed, specialty coffee is carefully handled and cared for to ensure the highest quality result.

When you start your specialty coffee franchise, look for guidance on how to source the best coffee beans and create amazing coffee. Just Love Coffee Café’s initial training will inform you of the exciting ins and outs of specialty coffee.

2. Why Should I Start a Specialty Coffee Franchise?

Now that you have a better definition of specialty coffee, you may be wondering why you should start a specialty coffee franchise. What sets coffee shop franchises apart from other franchise opportunities?

America’s love of coffee is one huge reason. According to USA Today, 83 percent of adults in the U.S. are coffee drinkers.

You may also be on track to become a wholesome community hub. Just Love Coffee Café shops can build strong connections with their regular customers – at around 1800 feet, they’re the perfect size to make patrons feel at home.

This sense of unity and togetherness can be wonderful to experience.

On top of all of that, you get to work with amazing coffee (and food!) daily. Are you a coffee lover? Moving into a specialty coffee franchise might be a natural next step for you.

Of course, it’s not as easy as relaxing with a cup of coffee every day. But if you’ve got a passion for brewing great coffee and making customers feel like they’re at home in your coffee shop, it could be the perfect franchise opportunity for you.

3. What Costs Will There Be?

As with any franchise, there are costs involved with starting your specialty coffee shop. What can you expect from a specialty coffee franchise?

With Just Love Coffee Café, you can expect reasonable build-out costs compared to other specialty coffee franchises. A few of these costs include:

Franchise Fee: $39,000. This fee allows you to leverage Just Love Coffee’s brand, easy-to-scale business model, and support. As a franchisor, they can offer valuable advice to you regarding the coffee shop industry. This allows you to make informed decisions.

1-2 Month’s Rent Payments: $3,500 – $15,000. Fairly self-explanatory, this cost will be paid to the landlord of your location before the opening. It’s one of the first big steps towards launching your coffee shop.

Pre-Opening Inventory and Supplies: $7,000 – $12,000. Before opening your coffee shop, you’ll need beans! And a whole lot more. Pre-opening inventory and supplies are vital to the smooth running of your specialty coffee franchise.

This isn’t an exhaustive list of costs associated with a specialty coffee franchise. However, it can give you an idea of what to expect.

Overall, the costs of starting a Just Love Coffee Café franchise are between $323,100 and $497,000. If you’re prepared to put the effort in and have the capital ready, a specialty coffee shop franchise might be a great idea.

4. Am I the Right Person to Start a Specialty Coffee Franchise?

You don’t need to be an expert on specialty coffee to start a coffee franchise. Just Love Coffee Café is suited to eager-to-learn enthusiasts who want to get started in the industry. You’ll learn about serving great coffee alongside our “bean team.”

With initial training at our Murfreesboro headquarters and stores in Nashville, Tennessee, extensive previous knowledge isn’t required.

The ideal owner of a specialty coffee franchise is self-motivated and dedicated to creating superb coffee and supporting good causes. Do you love working with people and putting smiles on their faces? Then you could be a terrific owner of a specialty coffee shop.

In short, the message is mindset over experience.

5. What Support Will I Receive?

One difference between a business opportunity and a Just Love Coffee Café franchise opportunity is the support you’ll get from the team.

You’ll be given the coaching and training to become an independent coffee shop franchise owner – with enough support to feel confident.

Just Love Coffee Café’s intensive initial training provides you with guidance on marketing, machinery, the hiring process, and much more. Remember: your franchisor won’t make all the decisions for you, but they will support you in pursuing your goals by backing you through your individual journey.

Another more subtle form of support comes in the form of Just Love Coffee Café’s branding. It’s a ready-made, trusted brand for you to utilize. It’s one more reason you may prefer a franchise, because you’ll go into business yourself, but not by yourself.

Ultimately, the Just Love Support Teams will share the knowledge, tools, resources, and unending support you will need to develop your specialty coffee franchise.

Final Notes

When specialty coffee represents 37% of U.S. coffee cups, according to the SCAA (Specialty Coffee Association of America), it’s a smart choice to enter the world of specialty coffee franchises. And it’s even smarter to ask these important questions about the specialty coffee industry.

Just Love Coffee Café is an authentic specialty coffee franchise. They focus on creating hand-roasted coffee with a cause and leaving their customers with warm, memorable experiences.