BIGGBY® COFFEE Closes 2023 with 88 Franchises Awarded, 48 Openings and More in Development

LANSING, MI — 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,” said 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. This year, it climbed over 20 spots on the Franchise Times Top 400 ranking and was recognized by Franchise Business Review.. 

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,” said 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.”

About The BIGGBY® COFFEE Franchise

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. The brand’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® COFFEE 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 370+ cafes across many states, including Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Idaho, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Wisconsin, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Florida.