Perfect Mix

Filming Columbus Coffee’s latest menu campaign

Columbus Coffee’s menus bring together innovation, technology and profitability for franchisees

You don’t succeed for long in the hospitality business without offering great food and achieving consistent profitability. That makes Columbus Coffee’s success even more impressive. Over the last 27 years, the home-grown brand has grown from a single outlet on Auckland’s High Street to a major player, with 75 franchised cafés all over the country.

One of the people charged with keeping the franchise ahead of the rest is Executive Chef Sean Mackenzie. ‘Columbus Coffee has a very successful business model, which is what attracts our franchisees to invest. My job is to design menus that appeal to customers, keep abreast of trends and help franchisees achieve maximum returns while not sacrificing flavour.’

More than the basics

Sean has hospitality in his veins. ‘My parents ran a B&B and had tearooms for a while so we had lots of tourists and kept a big family table. As a teenager, I regularly cooked dinner and this started my passion for food,’ he says. ‘I trained then worked in various hotels, restaurants and cafés, until I realised that I have a passion for teaching young chefs who want to learn – which is how I ended up at Columbus five years ago.’

Sean says, ‘Most Kiwi cuisine is a fusion from all round the world, gathered in part by travelling Kiwis like me – my style has been influenced by working in Australia and training in Thailand and Vietnam. So that encourages us to be creative.’

To appeal to customers all over the country, the food team at Columbus Coffee looked at the top-selling items in each café then created a core menu of popular and profitable recipes while still allowing franchisees to add local favourites in their own cafés. ‘The important point was to get our customers thinking beyond just the basic breakfast menu or coffeeand-a-scone.

‘As people began to realise that they could have a good lunch in their favourite café, so we saw turnover increasing steadily. Word got out, regular customers came more often, and new customers flocked in.

‘There’s now a core menu so customers know they can always order their classic favourites, plus cafés are able to add other items to cater for their customers’ preferences and use local produce according to the season. The result is better food, more consistency and better service, too: franchisees can spend more productive time listening to customers and helping staff grow.’

Executive Chef Sean Mackenzie

Good food builds loyal fans

Columbus Coffee supports franchisees and their staff with training from the food team in the kitchen. ‘It’s vital everyone understands what it takes to make beautiful food and serve it well,’ says Sean. ‘Our cabinet food is a drawcard for all our stores, so presentation matters, and good food builds loyal fans and increases average spend.’

The franchise is also using technology to encourage chefs to create and share interesting new dishes. ‘Columbus Coffee has a big pool of talent – perhaps the biggest group of connected chefs in the country – so now we can pass all manner of tips, creation and inspirations round the group and all learn from each other. Sharing interactive recipe cards and using new technology definitely sets us apart, and helps franchisees know they are part of an innovative and forward-thinking brand.’

Another innovation the food team at Columbus is clearly very proud of is the Kitchen Competition. ‘This is a terrific piece of fun we all look forward to. Two or three times a year we ask our suppliers to provide some ingredients, and the chefs compete to create a recipe using them. It’s inspiring, makes our chefs think outside the box and adds to their growth and creativity.

‘A successful food business is about people, product, place – and profit,’ Sean concludes. ‘That’s the formula that Columbus Coffee is constantly working on, and it’s exciting to be part of making it happen every day.’

Be successful wherever you are

Jon Hassall, the Chief Operating Officer of Columbus Coffee, says that there are opportunities for new franchisees in many parts of the country. ‘For an investment from around $350,000 +gst, you can join our remarkable family around the country. We’re as popular in heartland New Zealand as we are in city centres, and we support our franchisees and chefs to run truly successful businesses wherever they are.

‘If you want a new café business that you can have absolute confidence in, Columbus Coffee is the brand to have behind you. Talk to us to find out more.’

Advertiser Info

Columbus Coffee

www.columbuscoffee.co.nz

Contact Jon Hassall

P 0-9-520 1044 M 028 8500 1300

jon@columbuscoffee.co.nz