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Below is an in-depth analysis and side-by-side comparison of Van Houtte vs bb's Coffee and Muffins including start-up costs and fees, business experience requirements, training & support and financing options.
Start-Up Costs and Fees |
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Investment | $250,000 - $300,000 | $145,000 - $280,000 |
Franchise Fee | $27,500 | $26,000 |
Royalty Fee | 5% | 7% |
Advertising Fee | - | - |
Year Founded | 1919 | 1986 |
Year Franchised | 1983 | 1986 |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | - |
Term Of Agreement | 10 years | - |
Renewal 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 | -/- |
Start-up Costs | No/No | -/- |
Equipment | No/No | -/- |
Inventory | No/No | -/- |
Receivables | No/No | -/- |
Payroll | No/No | -/- |
Training & Support |
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Training | - | - |
Support | Meetings, Grand opening, Field operations/evaluations, Purchasing cooperatives | - |
Marketing | Co-op advertising, Regional advertising | - |
Operations |
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 | - |
International Expansion | Yes | - |
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.
bb’s (short for bakers & baristas) began in Australia in 1985. The first bb’s opened in the Australia Fair shopping centre in Southport, Queensland, on the Gold Coast.
When muffins began to outsell every other item at bb’s we realised we’d found our calling. And we followed it.
But what’s an oven-fresh muffin without delicious, barista-made coffee? Our baked treats just love good company (a little bit like ourselves really).
Before long we were known as bb’s coffee & muffins, and we came to the UK in 1997. After much muffin-testing and coffee-drinking, we have over 50 cafés in the UK and Ireland, and we’re still as excited as on day one.