The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, the leading global specialty coffee and tea house, announced today its expansion into Shreveport Regional Airport, broadening its non-traditional franchise footprint alongside Tailwind Hospitality, Inc. (Tailwind), a leading airport concessionaire. Tailwind, known for operating full-service restaurants, bars, retail and gift shops in regional airports throughout the United States, recently opened two new locations at the Shreveport Regional Airport, with a third location in the works for this quarter.
“We couldn’t be more excited to work with Jeff, Jess and the entire Tailwind Hospitality team to open multiple locations at the Shreveport Airport. Their commitment to delivering high-quality service and understanding the needs of travelers aligns perfectly with our brand’s values,” said Michelle Reap, Senior Manager of Franchise Development for The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. “From the moment we met, it was clear that their years of experience, thoughtful approach to operations and passion for our product made them the sophisticated operators we’re looking for as we actively seek multi-unit operators to grow The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf across North America. We’re confident this collaboration will lead to great success at the Shreveport Airport and possible future airport opportunities.”
Tailwind has been delivering first-rate services and high-quality products to travelers for more than 20 years. Known for its commitment to local communities through sourcing and partnerships, the company is now operating in 59 airports across the U.S. and continues to play a pivotal role in expanding The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf’s presence. These new developments are led by an experienced team, including CEO Jeff Switzer, who has successfully overseen all operations, design and training at Tailwind since 2011. Joining Switzer are Jess Backhaus, senior vice president, who manages corporate airport operations and logistics, Matthew Edgar, senior vice president of food and beverage operations, and Jerry Brienza, vice president of business development and relationship management.
“At Tailwind Hospitality, our top priority is providing travelers with an exceptional experience through high-quality products and outstanding customer service. With our long-standing relationship at Shreveport Regional Airport, we saw the perfect opportunity to expand our offerings and knew The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf would be a great addition to our portfolio,” said Switzer. “We understand what our guests are looking for, and their demand for premium coffee and tea is clear, which is why we’re thrilled to join forces with such an iconic brand like The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.”
Currently, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf serves its carefully handcrafted coffee, tea, and espresso beverages at over 1,100 locations worldwide. The brand takes pride in delivering high-quality products, and sources from the top one percent of Arabica beans. The coffee beans are individually roasted in small batches at a roasting facility in Camarillo, California, and each bag is rigorously tested to meet the brand’s high standards.
In addition to non-traditional franchise growth, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is also focused on expanding its traditional franchise model across North America. This dual approach introduces a scalable franchise opportunity, attracting qualified multi-unit investors to help grow the brand’s presence. With significant global interest in franchising, multiple new locations are in various stages of development throughout the United States, South America, the Middle East and Asia.
Ideal franchisee candidates who are looking to diversify their portfolio with a globally recognized leader in the specialty coffee and tea beverage segment should have strong liquidity and enough access to capital to expand quickly. Previous restaurant ownership experience and a minimum 10-store count development agreement for a pre-determined market are required, but single-store franchise agreements are available for non-traditional venues.
