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Updated RecentlyCafe Ala Carte vs Van Houtte Franchise Comparison
Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Cafe Ala Carte vs Van Houtte 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 | $250,000 - $300,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $25,000 | $27,500 |
| Royalty Fee | 8-5% | 5% |
| Advertising Fee | - | - |
| Year Founded | 1996 | 1919 |
| Year Franchised | 2000 | 1983 |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years |
| Term Of Agreement | 10 years | 10 years |
| Renewal Fee | The then-current franchise fee | - |
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 | Meetings, Grand opening, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives |
| Marketing | Ad slicks | Co-op advertising, Regional advertising |
| 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) |
5% of all franchisees own more than one unit
Absentee ownership of franchise is NOT 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 Van Houtte
Albert-Louis Van Houtte, a French immigrant, set up his first grocery store in Montreal in 1919. Van Houtte stocked the store with specialty products from Europe, including coffee. Each day he would roast small batches of coffee in the back of his shop, and soon Van Houtte had built up a reputation in Montreal for selling quality coffee. In the more than 80 years since its founder began roasting European coffees, A.L. Van Houtte Cafe-Bistro has grown beyond Montreal and has expanded its menu. Today, each cafe-bistro serves a variety of coffee and espresso drinks, as well as teas, soups and sandwiches.