SPOTLIGHT ON CASUAL DINING
THE COFFEE EMPORIUM Greg Erickson is general manager at premium cafe chain The Coffee Emporium, which has been in business nearly 30 years. HOW WILL CASUAL DINING CHANGE OVER THE NEXT 12–24 MONTHS? As confidence returns those who have survived will be looking to carve out their own unique style and also develop stronger online revenue streams. Over the next 12–24 months you’ll likely see menus become more creative with signature dishes and flavours taking centre stage. HOW DO YOU DIFFERENTIATE YOURSELF IN THE SPACE? Quite simply, at The Coffee Emporium we take our coffee seriously. Our signature blend is overseen by the owners of the business and has been a closely guarded secret since 1991. The very best beans are sourced, blended and roasted in Sydney before distribution to our franchises around the country. The coffee is fresh, and the baristas well trained. The same goes for our food – we go fresh, not frozen, never skimp on ingredients and believe that quality control is an imperative. We are also flexible enough to allow our franchise partners to put their own personality into the business, as we know being part of a community truly matters. HOW ARE DIGITAL AND DELIVERY AFFECTING YOUR BUSINESS? Online food delivery is a great addition to the mix for many of our franchises, while others have been reluctant to adopt online ordering and delivery options due to staff, timing and digital literacy issues. It comes down to what the franchise partner is comfortable with. For those who have embraced digital it’s been a welcome addition to their income streams and they’ve been able to maximise takings during this challenging period. HOW CAN FRANCHISEES MAKE THE MOST OF THEIR BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES? Franchises really need to know and be part of their community. Joining local business centres, getting to know the council and being involved in local sports and charities are all an important part of developing both business and personal connections. Many businesses will allow a franchise to advertise direct to their staff and membership base via inclusion in newsletters and social media stories. In the end, everything is about relationships and the most successful franchises have warm and respectful relationships not only with customers, but local media and community leaders.
WHAT'S NEW AND EXCITING IN THE MARKETPLACE? Covid-19 has forced Australian restaurants to be even more creative with their ingredients. International supply chains have been interrupted, which has allowed smaller Australian-owned and run suppliers to really show what they can do. For the first time in decades, we’ve been reminded of the brilliance and competitiveness of Australian products. WHAT ARE YOUR 12-MONTH EXPANSION PLANS? The Coffee Emporium is currently negotiating a number of new sites and also plans to refresh existing sites in the near future. A retail offering is in development; watch this space! WHAT IS THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FACING YOUR BUSINESS AS WE HEAD INTO 2022 FY? There is still concern that Covid-19 could rear its head again and trigger another lockdown. We are working to future-proof the business (as much as is possible) by diversifying the retail offering and fine-tuning the online ordering systems. WHEN WILL UNIT REVENUE RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC? Most of our franchises have already returned to pre-Covid sales figures while others are close behind. With a continuing increase in market confidence, adherence to advice from the Chief Medical Officer and a return to normal social activities we expect revenue to return to pre-Covid figures by early 2022.
WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO INCREASE PROFIT MARGINS? Staffing is always an important consideration so we ensure our operations team works closely with franchise partners to ensure they create and manage rosters that work for the business. We also keep a close eye on the menu – what’s popular and not so popular across the franchises. With this information we regularly refresh the menu with fresh flavours while keeping the old favourites. WHO IS YOUR CUSTOMER AND WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE BIGGEST COMPETITION FOR THEIR DISCRETIONARY DOLLAR? Our customer base is very diverse, from young professionals to couples and families but the one thing they all share is a desire for quality and affordability. We offer both. The challenge is standing out in a sea of marketing and social media content!
AUG/OCT 2021 | 42 | WWW.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
