Tapioca Express vs The Coffee Beanery Franchise Comparison

Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Tapioca Express vs The Coffee Beanery including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.

Start-Up Costs and Fees

 
Tapioca Express Franchise
The Coffee Beanery Franchise
Investment $200,000 - $420,000$112,500 - $496,100
Franchise Fee $15,000$15,000
Royalty Fee $0.055/cup4%
Advertising Fee -2%
Year Founded 19991976
Year Franchised 20001985
Term Of Agreement -10-20 years
Term Of Agreement -10-20 years
Renewal Fee $3K for 2 years25% of initial fee


Business Experience Requirements

 
Tapioca Express Franchise
The Coffee Beanery Franchise
Experience
  • Industry experience
  • General business experience
  • Marketing skills

  • General business experience
  • Retail experience

  • Financing Options

     
    Tapioca Express Franchise
    The Coffee Beanery Franchise
      In-House/3rd PartyIn-House/3rd Party
    Franchise Fees No/NoNo/No
    Start-up Costs No/NoNo/No
    Equipment No/NoNo/Yes
    Inventory No/NoNo/Yes
    Receivables No/NoNo/No
    Payroll No/NoNo/No

    Training & Support

     
    Tapioca Express Franchise
    The Coffee Beanery Franchise
    Training --
    Support Newsletter, Meetings, Grand opening, Internet, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperativesNewsletter, Meetings, Toll-free phone line, Grand opening, Internet, Security/safety procedures, Field operations/evaluations
    Marketing Co-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media, Regional advertisingCo-op advertising, Ad slicks, National media
    Operations

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 5

    100% of current franchisees are owner/operators

    International franchisees required to buy multiple units/master licenses; 30% of all franchisees own more than one unit

    Number of employees needed to run franchised unit: 14 - 17

    Absentee ownership of franchise is allowed. (90% of current franchisees are owner/operators)


    Expansion Plans

     
    Tapioca Express Franchise
    The Coffee Beanery Franchise
    US Expansion -Yes
    Canada Expansion NoNo
    International Expansion YesYes

    Company Overviews

    About Tapioca Express

    Wayne and Stephanie, passionate about their Taiwanese heritage, opened the first Tapioca Express store in the San Gabriel Valley in 1999 �" one of the very first boba chains in the United States. Since the beginning,
    Tapioca Express has harvested the finest ingredients from Taiwan and continually provides quality teas, boba, and snacks. However, we did not foresee that boba’s popularity would manifest into its own culture and become an everyday lifestyle. Today, Tapioca Express expands across California and into other states, including Washington, Texas, and Virginia. In our two decades of experience in brewing, we focus on nurturing and enriching communities with the finest teas, coffee, and boba.
    Tapioca beverage is a various combination of black or green tea, milk, juice, coffee, and small marbles of tapioca (a.k.a. "black pearl" or "boba", made from Tapioca starch, water, corn starch and natural flavors.) It originated in Tai-Chung City (in Taiwan) around 1981, and soon spread across Asia. In the late 90s, it traveled to North America and has quickly become a raging trendy drink on both coasts. It is perceived as a relatively healthier beverage than soft drinks or coffee, and a lot more fun, too.Tapioca Express was the first in North America to offer a wide selection of high quality tapioca beverage adhering to a consistently high professional standard. Since opening its first store in the city of Alhambra (located in the Greater Los Angeles, California),
    Tapioca Express has become synonymous to quality and innovation.

    About The Coffee Beanery

    With help from her husband, Julius, JoAnne Shaw decided to take a chance. In 1976 she opened The Coffee Beanery, a specialty coffee shop, in Dearborn, Michigan. The company began franchising in 1985. The Coffee Beanery offers streetfront café franchises, as well as locations in malls, airports, office buildings, hospitals and college campuses across the United States. In 1998 the company opened its first international location in Guam and now offers master franchises in China, Korea and the Middle East.

    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Traditional Store without Food Store Model ranges from $260,000 to $476,100, which includes $25,000 to $31,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.
    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Traditional Store with Food Store Model ranges from $260,000 to $496,100, which includes $25,000 to $31,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.
    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Kiosk Store Model ranges from $185,000 to $369,100, which includes $25,000 to $31,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.
    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Co-Branded Store Model ranges from $140,000 to $339,100, which includes $25,000 to $31,500 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.
    The total investment necessary to begin operation of a Conversion Store Model ranges from $112,500 to $351,600, which includes $17,500 and $24,000 that must be paid to the franchisor or its affiliates.