More Australians will be enjoying Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt come December 7 when the company expands its presence there with the opening of its fourth Australian franchise in Werribee, just outside of Melbourne. The Werribee Orange Leaf franchise is owned and operated by Tristan Angelini and Charlotte Block, young entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on the growing popularity of the frozen yogurt concept.
Orange Leaf’s newest location in Australia is part of its overall aggressive growth plans for the U.S. and abroad. While Orange Leaf plans on further establishing a presence in large cities along the east coast of Australia, the focus will remain on strategic moves into nearby suburbs surrounding these cities. Worldwide, the company has 85 stores under construction and will likely see at least 100 additional stores opened by the end of 2014. The company is also actively exploring international franchise partnerships in Asia, Canada, the Middle East, and South America.
“Clearly, a love for delicious frozen yogurt and a do-it-yourself toppings bar is not limited to the U.S.,” says Reese Travis, CEO of Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt. “We are definitely seeing an uptick in interest by potential franchisees to bring Orange Leaf’s rich and creamy fro yo and innovative delivery model to all parts of the world.”
Joe Rossi opened the first Australian Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt store at Port Melbourne in early December 2011. Two more locations were added at tourist hotspots, Torquay on Victoria’s Surf Coast and at Sydney’s Bondi Beach last year. A fifth store opening for north of Melbourne is planned for early 2014.
“Both Tristan and I come from a long line of business owners in the hospitality and construction industries, and we are excited to put that collective experience to work with our own Orange Leaf franchise,” Block says. “We believe that the combination of a great brand, delicious product, quality ingredients, and the perfect location will be a winning formula for us in Werribee. In fact, the population growth and expansion in the area, along with the fact that there is not another frozen yogurt shop within a nearly 20-mile radius, made this decision a no-brainer”
Orange Leaf has more than 180 franchisees and is adding new locations continually, with almost 70 percent of stores currently under construction being built by existing franchisees. Orange Leaf combines an experienced franchise sales organization and unit economics with a commissary model to drive a strong profitability profile and scale.
The frozen dessert industry is one of the fastest growing franchised food and beverage segments and is expected to bring $6.6 billion in revenue annually in the U.S., according to Technomic. Flavor and product innovation, new distribution channels, and new store prototypes are core components of Orange Leaf’s business strategy.
