GROWTH THROUGH CONSISTENCY

If there is magic in a formula, General Manager of Foodco NZ, Pete Hartley has no hesitation in stating where it lies. “It’s our franchisees,” he says emphatically. “It is their love, passion and energy which is driving our growth. The foundation of that is our franchisee training and consistency of quality coffee and food. These are compelling reasons for customers to keep choosing us, and our most recent customer satisfaction survey absolutely demonstrated that.”

Pete became GM of Foodco in 2024 “because it ticked all the boxes.” After nearly four decades in senior roles with many of the biggest supermarket brands across Australia and 

New Zealand, Pete saw that the two Foodco brands, Jamaica Blue and Muffin Break, were ripe for growth. “It’s been fantastic to see the plan move into great execution, with us delivering 10% growth in the last year – and there’s plenty more opportunities coming this year!” he adds.

Pete asserts that although the economic climate may be challenging, Jamaica Blue and Muffin Break are the leading lights in a good news story. “These two brands are performing really well,” he says. “Our customers are loving the experiences our cafes offer, and on the back of that we are growing our presence which is producing a lot of interest among potential franchisees. That’s really encouraging and the proof is in the pudding; in the last 12 months we’ve opened two Jamaica Blue outlets in North Shore Hospital, a brand new one in Ponsonby and a new Muffin Break kiosk in Richmond Mall. This level of growth bodes well for the year ahead.”

Absolutely buzzing

In addition to the brand-new store openings, Pete recently sold an established Muffin Break in Glenfield to a new franchisee. Sumit Thummar only took over full control a few weeks ago but is absolutely buzzing about his experiences so far, and the future of his new business. 

“Since joining as a franchisee, my experience with Foodco has been very positive,” smiles Sumit. “The on-boarding and training provided a strong foundation, and the ongoing support from the team has been excellent – always responsive and helpful. This has made it much easier to manage daily operations and focus on growing the business. Sales have been progressing well, and we achieved almost 28% growth last month, which has been very encouraging. This has given me great confidence in the system and allows me to focus on improving performance and delivering a great customer experience.”

Experience not required

Foodco is one of Australasia’s leading food and coffee franchise business retailers, with over 500 outlets across seven countries. Muffin Break has become one of New Zealand’s most-loved bakery cafés since the first franchise was established in 1994. Jamaica Blue has made significant inroads as the café brand of choice in Auckland’s major hospitals, including the two new company-owned stores at North Shore. 

“Generally, our policy is to find a site, connect the brand to the local community and then find the right franchisee to fit the business,” says Pete. “I would encourage any potential franchisee not to limit themselves. Experience in food or beverage is not required – we train our franchisees in all aspects. If you think you live in the wrong place – think again. We may well have a Muffin Break or Jamaica Blue planned in your area. We have a network of existing cafés and kiosks from Silverdale to Invercargill, and opportunities everywhere in between.”

Consistency and top-notch training

Foodco are proud of the comprehensive training course they have in place for all franchisees. “I know how intense it is,” says Pete, “as I’ve done it! It covers everything you need to know over two weeks in our Sydney Centre of Excellence. The purpose-built facility has a commercial kitchen staffed by highly qualified trainers. Coffee-making to a qualified barista level, financial management, recruitment and hiring, and coaching and leadership are all part of a fun programme.”

Foodco has concentrated upon consistency as a strong draw card, as Pete explains. “All our beans are roasted in Auckland and distributed direct to the stores. There is a wide range of recipes and food we serve, but there is no need to employ a chef – our training covers that, and food is predominantly produced in each café or kiosk, so all our customers know it is fresh every day. The consistency of everyday freshness and top-quality roasted coffee beans has led to increasing success.”

“Some of our franchisees are now multi-store owners,” Pete continues, “which is an excellent endorsement of the quality of our formula. As a rule of thumb, we first seek out sites we feel would make good locations for our brands and work through the due diligence and commercial terms of lease, so everything is in place for the prospective franchisee. We have a pool of applicants lined up to select from, and at that point we will move in to complete the design and fit-out for you.”

The costs of establishing a Muffin Break or Jamaica Blue outlet are so variable that Pete would prefer to crunch numbers face-to-face with potential franchisees. “We’re not just ripe for growth,” he concludes, “we are growing and seeking ambitious people keen to be masters of their own destiny. If you can see the potential here and are keen to grasp this opportunity while it’s on the up, don’t hesitate to call me – we might just have the right location in your home town!”  

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