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Updated RecentlyCafe Ala Carte vs Shefield Express Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Cafe Ala Carte vs Shefield Express including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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| Investment | $56,200 - $123,300 | $150,000 - $200,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $25,000 | $25,000 |
| Royalty Fee | 8-5% | 5-8% |
| Advertising Fee | - | - |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 1996 |
| Year Franchised | 2000 | 1996 |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 5 years |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 5 years |
| Renewal Fee | The then-current franchise fee | $5K |
Business Experience Requirements |
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| Experience | - | - |
Financing Options |
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| In-House/3rd Party | In-House/3rd Party | |
| Franchise Fees | No/No | No/No |
| Start-up Costs | No/No | No/No |
| Equipment | No/Yes | No/No |
| Inventory | No/No | No/No |
| Receivables | No/No | No/No |
| Payroll | No/No | No/No |
Training & Support |
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| Training | - | - |
| Support | Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet | Newsletter, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives |
| Marketing | Ad slicks | Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media |
| Operations |
Franchise can be run from home. International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 100% of all franchisees own more than one unit Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 2 Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (100% of current franchisees are owner/operators) |
Expansion Plans |
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| US Expansion | - | - |
| Canada Expansion | No | No |
| International Expansion | Yes | Yes |
Company Overviews
About Cafe Ala Carte
Since 1996, Cafe Ala Carte provides a unique service to the food and beverage industry by capitalizing on the popularity of specialty coffees. By creating a niche in this market, people are experiencing a new and exciting idea for their events. Most franchises are simply duplicated or reinvented ideas. But Cafe Ala Carte is among the first of its kind. Our system has proven successful, and allows us to capitalize on one of the world's fastest growing trends.
About Shefield Express
After finding success with their Shefield & Sons and The Gourmet Cup concepts, founders Dieters and Wolfgang Lehmann decided to merge the two. In 1996 the doors to the first Shefield Gourmet location opened.
Each Shefield Gourmet store sells coffee, tea, cigars, cigarettes and other tobacco products.