A Vibrant Culture Gives BIGGBY® COFFEE a Major Advantage Over Corporate Competitors

In a segment led by behemoths like Starbucks and Dunkin’, most coffee brands have adopted a speed-focused approach to service, prioritizing getting customers in and out their doors over providing an enjoyable experience. BIGGBY® COFFEE has chosen another path, and the 240-unit coffee franchise, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, has earned a large, loyal and growing fanbase as a result.

“Community is key to everything we do,” explained Bob Fish, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of BIGGBY® COFFEE. “We are a purpose-driven brand, and ultimately, that’s what has truly set us apart from our competitors, and that’s what has made us such a fixture in the lives of our customers.”

That focus on community informs every aspect of the franchise, Fish said, from the energetic and inviting in-store atmosphere to the structure of the franchisee network, which encourages communication among store owners and the brand’s leadership team.

“We’ve been growing this franchise for a quarter of a century, and every step of the way, we have asked ourselves, ‘How will this decision enrich our local communities? How will it enrich our franchisee community? How will it enrich the community of customers we’ve established?’” Fish said.

BIGGBY’s rejection of the colder, more corporate atmosphere that has become all but standard among other coffee chains has paid off, especially this year, which has seen some of the biggest names in the business scaling back dramatically. BIGGBY, meanwhile, continues to grow, approaching 250 units in markets across the country, and the brand has made substantial investments in in-house technology solutions and an optimized store build-out to support that growth.

Introduced last year, BIGGBY’s modular-unit store buildout arrived just in time to help store owners cut costs and continue servicing customers throughout the COVID-19 crisis. The high-efficiency buildout maintains BIGGBY’s signature high-energy, community-oriented vibe, with bright colors, fun music and cheerful, welcoming staff, all while dramatically increasing speed-to-market for new locations. And it costs significantly less to build compared to standard coffee-house store models. Many BIGGBY stores were even able to quickly and inexpensively add drive-thrus to continue operating while dine-in locations were closed. 

“The modular unit allows new franchise owners to get started efficiently,” said Mike McFall, BIGGBY’s co-founder and co-CEO. “They just connect plumbing and electricity, and they are up and running. You get all the visibility of a standalone building for what it would normally cost to build an in-line strip-center location.” 

That streamlined model also limits the construction time and costs, and it has significantly sped up the process of getting franchisees open for business.

“When a new owner-operator opens a BIGGBY® COFFEE store, we’re able to tell them, ‘Here is your new business, and here is everything you need to make it great: recipes, marketing, POS, tech support — everything,’” said Fish.

BIGGBY also rolled out a suite of improved technological services to support franchisees during the COVID-19 crisis, including contactless-pay technology, extenders to serve coffee without contact and digital gift cards, all of which are developed and owned by the franchise, so store owners don’t have to rely on third-party vendors.

“When COVID-19 hit, a lot of brands started pulling back, but we managed to navigate the crisis effectively and move forward,” said Fish. “How? By holding true to our core values, including love and care, which allows us to support all of our people in building a life that they love.” 

That gambit is paying off, and McFall says the brand’s success throughout the coronavirus crisis proves just how advantageous the brand’s emphasis on community really is.

“Not only were we able to continue investing in our franchisees and providing support throughout this period, but we were also able to maintain a thriving customer base,” McFall said. “That’s not something many other brands can say, and that’s due entirely to the culture of community we’ve created and shared with our customers. In difficult times, people are looking for the comfort of community. Our customers want warmth and familiarity, and that’s what they find in our stores.”

Throughout the rest of 2020 and 2021, the BIGGBY team is planning to make the most of its strong consumer positioning by welcoming new store owners in new markets to its already thriving network franchisees. McFall says the brand is looking for “growth-minded community leaders — people who want to own a business that is entrenched in its community and supported at every level by the franchise team.”

“We’ve built something incredibly special,” McFall said. “This is a franchise that’s not just convenient for customers or lucrative for owners, but something that they actually feel a personal connection with. That’s not something you’re going to find at many other coffee brands, and we’re excited to continue introducing that connection to new customers and new franchisees, expanding and strengthening our community.”

The initial investment to franchise with BIGGBY® COFFEE ranges from $189,550 to $378,600, including a $25,750 to $38,750  franchise fee. For more information on franchising with BIGGBY® COFFEE, please visit https://www.biggbyfranchising.com/.

About BIGGBY® COFFEE

BIGGBY® COFFEE, based in East Lansing, Mich., was started with a single store on March 15, 1995. One year later, and on the cusp of opening a second location, Bob Fish and Michael McFall, on a handshake and $4,000, decided to franchise the concept. BIGGBY® COFFEE’s cultural values of Make Friends, Have Fun, B Yourself and Share Great Coffee help coffee-lovers and the coffee-curious alike benefit from a less pretentious and fun approach to the standard gourmet cafe paradigm. Besides connoisseur-worthy drinks with names like Teddy Bear® and Caramel Marvel®, BIGGBY® baristas provide a unique experience focused on brightening their customers’ day and supporting them in building a life they love. The “Big ‘B’” on the orange background caught on, and today BIGGBY® COFFEE has more than 240 cafes across many states including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky, and Florida. In 2018, BIGGBY® launched an Area Representative Program and currently has 8 Area Representatives in 6 states.