Guide to Franchising Your Business: Insights from Grégoire Jacquet

Franchising a business can be a powerful way to expand and share your brand with a broader audience. However, the decision to franchise is not one to be taken lightly, as Grégoire Jacquet, the founder of the popular French-inspired restaurant franchise Grégoire, discovered. 1851 Franchise spoke with Jacquet to learn about his franchising journey.

Initially, franchising was not part of Jacquet’s vision as the notion felt counterintuitive, especially given the personalized, meticulous approach that defined his restaurant. He associated franchising with a lack of control over quality, which was something he wasn’t willing to compromise.

“I never wanted a franchise in my life,” Jacquet shared candidly.  “I just knew that franchising was not something I wanted Grégoire to be associated with just because of the way we do things.”

The turning point came when Jacquet realized that his business could operate smoothly without his constant oversight. This newfound freedom, coupled with his wife’s desire to re-engage in the business as their children grew older, sparked the idea of expanding again. Jacquet decided to reconsider franchising as a viable option for growth.

Jacquet realized that he could in fact control the quality of the product throughout multiple locations so long as he could control the processes behind the business model. 

“I learned over time that franchising was not just about food; it was all about processes,” he said. “Originally, our changing menu was a problem because it would be difficult to teach your franchisees to do a new menu all of the time. I brainstormed with my wife and she said, ‘Do you remember in Oakland, we used to do all the food at one restaurant and carry it around to both restaurants? Why don’t you do that still?’”

This conversation made Jacquet realize that having a central kitchen would make franchising possible for Grégoire, because in franchising, consistency across franchise locations is essential.

“A central kitchen allows us to ensure quality control and consistent portions,” he said. “I looked into it and knew that was the key. That’s when I decided that franchising was right for us.”

Once Jacquet decided franchising was the right path for Grégoire, he knew the next step was to  secure a reliable team to execute the dream. After extensive research, he chose a franchising consultant who aligned with his vision and who could help him lay the groundwork for a successful restaurant franchise.

In addition to carefully considering the processes and the support network needed to successfully franchise a business, Jacquet offers one more piece of sobering advice for aspiring franchisors: “Make sure you’re loaded. Whatever you think it’s going to cost you, it will cost four to 10 times more than that. But the more money you put in, the more results you’ll get out of it.”

Jacquet’s experience shows that franchising, while challenging, can be a rewarding path to growth if approached thoughtfully. By focusing on maintaining quality, choosing the right partners, and preparing for substantial financial commitments, business owners can successfully navigate the complexities of franchising.

Every great franchisee had help buying a franchise. Want to learn more about how 1851 helps franchisees find the right franchise opportunity? Visit www.1851growthclub.com and start your journey.