Let’s face it, coffee is one of the best drinks in the world. Gone are the days when you used to get a watery cup of instant at your local shop, every outlet now seems to offer a mix of lattes, americanos and cappuccinos. It’s estimated that 55 million cups of coffee are consumed each day in the UK alone.
That’s led to a big surge in coffee outlets and companies over the last few years. It’s now one of the major ways to get into a franchise if you want to start running your own business. This is an industry that is worth over £6 billion in the UK and it’s more than just the usual suspects like Costa and Starbucks. There are plenty of small companies looking to expand via the franchise route at the moment.
One such opportunity comes from Poco Coffee which currently operates outlets in the North West of England and Wales. The company was started in 2012 by entrepreneurs Richard and Angela Sutton. Their shops have a clear brand and focus, providing customers with a barista style café experience that offers a wide range of coffees and fresh food produced on site. It’s not just about being a business that sells coffee either, the central ethos for Poco Coffee is all about community and creating a space where people can gather and talk in comfort.
As with many other new businesses, expanding beyond their current four or five cafes depends on going down the franchise route. If you are searching for an opportunity that gives you plenty of scope and allows you to latch onto a growing and successful brand, this could be worth your time and money.
As with many other franchises, Poco are after certain qualities which you will need to bring to the table. You’ll have to demonstrate a good business sense and excellent communication skills as well as having what the company call ‘a genuine interest in people and communities’.
Choosing the right coffee based franchise to invest in will depend on numerous factors. There’s the initial chunk of your finances that you are going to have to put in, of course, but also how the brand sits with your own goals and worldview. The coffee market is competitive and finding the best location to set up is obviously going to be important. Companies like Poco Coffee are always looking to find ways to add to their value for customers – recently they’ve started including all day breakfasts on their menu and their café in Preston has hosted comedy events – so flexibility is also a good quality to have.
If you are applying to a company such Poco Coffee you need to come with plenty of enthusiasm and ideas for where and how you are going to run your part of the franchise. There are undoubtedly the customers out there – at least 1 in 5 of us visit a coffee shop at least once a week and the industry in the UK is expected to increase to about £9 billion by the end of 2018.
For those who like their coffee and want to create a lively barista style atmosphere, this could be one franchise that you shouldn’t miss out on. If you would like to find out more about this opportunity please call us on 01925 224 000.
