WELL-GROUNDED

Columbus Coffee combines local café ownership with national support

When Jane Merai bought her Columbus Coffee franchise in 2011, she had no idea she’d still be there and thriving twelve years later.

‘It’s been quite a ride!’ Jane says. ‘I’d never worked in hospitality before – I was in insurance – so I really didn’t know what to expect, but every day I still get up and have the motivation to go to my café because I love the life so much!’

Her passion, focus on community, and delight in building a great team have combined with Columbus Coffee’s expertise to create a recipe for success. Jane’s Auckland Glen Eden café was a big winner at the franchise’s awards in March, including the Franchisee of the Year title and the People’s Choice Award, while long-time manager Phoenix Parata was named Manager of the Year. ‘I was so thrilled for her – people like Phoenix and our wonderful staff are our biggest asset and let me focus on the business and the customer experience,’ says Jane.

‘It’s been really rewarding for our whole team to be recognised at this level. We have a loyal following and our customers were just as happy as we were, which is a cool feeling.’

100 percent Kiwi

Jane says that being part of an established, 100 percent New Zealandowned franchise gave her comfort right from the start. ‘I was able to step into proven systems and processes and learn the ropes while being fully supported by people who knew the business and could work together through challenges.

‘All these years later, I still wouldn’t open a café on my own. There’s such value in being part of a franchise, and the benefits for me outweigh everything else. I never feel alone and I love being part of the franchise community.’

These days, Jane is a member of Columbus Coffee’s Franchise Advisory Council, which includes a cross-section of franchisees from across the country with a range of markets and experience. It’s one of the ways the brand encourages input from franchisees to contribute to further development. ‘The FAC is a great environment to meet other franchisees, bounce ideas around, give feedback, share on-the-ground experiences and be part of trials for new initiatives,’ says Jane.

Columbus Coffee also encourages their 74 cafés around the country to build relationships with the community, supporting sports, schools and other causes such as The PJ Project, Pink Shirt Day and Cure Kids. Jane explains, ‘Our café is very much a local business – I see it as our vessel to give back. The last couple of years, especially, we’ve worked through Covid to stay engaged and keep supporting those who have always supported us. One highlight was a Ride for Hope bikeathon, which we hosted in the café with a local gym franchisee – we raised $15,000 for Gumboot Friday.’

Support that makes a difference

Jon Hassall, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, says, ‘Jane is a long-standing, multiple-award winning franchisee who exemplifies what Columbus Coffee is about – local businesses with national support.

‘That support makes a real difference whether you’ve been a franchisee for two months or twelve years. It includes a team of local consultants to help you build and manage your business; food and beverage training for staff; and year-round nationwide marketing – we won the Marketing Excellence title at the 2022 Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards.

‘We support franchisees with a national menu programme, and also encourage some variety through local favourites, which each café tailors to suit their location and customers.

‘We also have a real commitment to developing systems behind the scenes to help improve the customer experience,’ says Jon. ‘For example, we’ve recently rolled out an enhanced digital app to make it easy for customers to order their favourite coffee – from home, the gym, or even just getting a second round at the table without needing to interrupt their conversation to join a queue.’

As Jane points out, ‘It’s invaluable to have centralised marketing and a team of experts to take on initiatives like this. Because they are committed to keeping up with market trends and making improvements across the board, I have more time to focus on day-to-day operations and meeting my customers’ needs so I can grow my business.’

Bringing people together

Jon says that Columbus Coffee franchisees benefit from owning their own local business without ever feeling alone. ‘We really value bringing people together to share stories, problems and best practice solutions, and we have regular regional gatherings, as well as a national conference for franchisees across the country. Our gala dinner, where Jane and her team took home their awards, is always a highlight as we celebrate the successes our franchisees have had in the last 12 months.’

Columbus Coffee has a number of opportunities available now across the North and South Island, including five new cafés in identified growth areas. Investment levels start from around $350,000 +gst.

‘Whether you’re interested in an existing café, a new café we’re already planning, or have another area in mind where you’d like to establish your own franchise, we’d love to hear from you,’ says Jon. ‘As Jane can tell you, you don’t need hospitality experience!’

Advertiser Info

Columbus Coffee www.columbuscoffee.co.nz

Contact Jon Hassall

P 0-9-520 1044 M 028 8500 1300

jon@columbuscoffee.co.nz

Jane Merai: ‘There’s such value in being part of a franchise’