BIGGBY COFFEE, the high-energy coffee franchise with 379 units nationwide, is aggressively pursuing the 500-unit mark as it works to bring its culture of love — and great coffee — to markets nationwide. With 150+ stores currently in development, the franchise is on pace to achieve its goal.
“This year, we opened 48 new locations and awarded another 88 franchises,” says Tony DiPietro, vice president of emerging market development. “Around one-third of our franchise agreements came from existing franchise owners, and that’s a great indicator of franchisee happiness and success in the system.”
BIGGBY COFFEE awarded franchises in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky, Florida and Georgia, continuing to grow its presence beyond its northeastern stronghold. And, looking to next year, it aims to follow the same trajectory. After establishing flagship locations in developing markets, it is working to continue growing its presence in Idaho, Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia and Illinois through 2024.
With happy franchise owners and a growing base of loyal fans, BIGGBY COFFEE continues to roll out new updates and offerings, and industry pros are taking note.
This year, the brand launched a refresh of its mobile app that offered guests a new look and feel and increased capabilities, including the ability to order ahead. BIGGBY COFFEE also relaunched its Living Hope coffee, available by the cup and the bag, in celebration of the continued growth of its Farm-Direct program and ongoing development at Living Hope International, a coffee farm and community center that supports communities in Ndola, Zambia.
While guests have clearly enjoyed the new developments, driving a 21% year-over-year revenue increase, BIGGBY COFFEE is competing with other coffee giants in the minds of franchise industry professionals, too.
It also added a new CFO, Erin Kaylor, and a new CMO, Rita Bettino, to the team, officially completing the C-Suite. Both leaders bring years of valuable experience with major food brands and will play a key role in BIGGBY COFFEE’s continued growth.
Internally, BIGGBY COFFEE celebrated Store of the Year, Barista of the Year, its Purpose Award and the BIGGBY Cup winner, spotlighting key players in the system that truly exemplify the brand’s core values.
“As we continue to grow, our culture remains a key driver for our system,” says Jaime Balazy, director of marketing at BIGGBY COFFEE. “The BIGGBY COFFEE love is shining through at every level, and we’re excited to see how it powers us as we chase major growth milestones while maintaining the person-first approach we’re known for.”
