JAMAICA BLUE
At the moment, we’re seeing two major drivers of change in coffee right now: environmental concerns and tech.
Australian coffee drinkers are getting more conscious of the environmental impact of their consumer choices. The rise of veganism has spun a whole host of alternative milks. Soy and almond milk have been the go-to plant-based milks but increasingly we’re seeing coconut, hazelnut, rice, oat and more recently macadamia milk in cafes and on supermarket shelves.
It’s not just the coffee that’s changing, but how it is served: reusable cups, biodegradable takeaway cups, biodegradable pods and other innovations that promote sustainability are gaining traction. As our environmental concerns grow, so will this trend.
On the flip side, tech has permeated into the way coffee is made. Nitro coffee is the latest thing to come out of the cold brew camp although time will tell if it sticks around. However, automation in cafes will be something we are going to see a lot more of. The Ubermilk unit is one such example and we think there will be plenty of new tech products in this direction.
HOW DO YOU DISTINGUISH YOUR BRAND TO POTENTIAL FRANCHISEES?
The only way to attract franchisees is to practise what you preach; if a franchisee sees that our instore experience matches our brand promises, they’ll see the value in that. So we focus on the quality and the flavour profile of our coffee, and that’s what attracts our franchisees.
Our high standards, accredited training, seasonal blends and single origins which are ethically sourced: these are just some of the ways we show not just franchisees but everyone that we’re serious about coffee.
What we’re pushing harder on is convenience. Our cafes are mostly located in shopping centres and by introducing an app later this year that will digitise our loyalty program as well as offer online ordering, we’re ramping up the convenience factor.
HOW ARE YOU MAKING THE BRAND MORE ADAPTABLE TO LOCATION AND DEMOGRAPHICS?
The brand is currently undergoing a brand refresh: Jamaica Blue is going back to its spiritual roots, the Caribbean, the Blue Mountains of Jamaica. Our fresh look at the design and layout of our instore experience is all about bringing that amazing coffee experience here to Australia.
One way we’re expressing our new look and feel is our Jamaican inspired dishes in both food and drink category.
We’ve had success in attracting a different demographic with our Blue Latte campaign. We created a product that was very Instagrammable and again had a strong link with our brand being blue! By making the Blue Latte relatable to millennial values (self-expressionism, individuality, creativity) we made it something to get involved with and share.
HOW IMPORTANT IS IT TO YOUR BRAND THAT FRANCHISEES WORK IN THE BUSINESS?
Very important. Passionate business owners who care about the customer experience are those who are most successful. Being immersed instore and meeting customers face-to-face is the best way of doing that.
HOW MANY MULTI-UNIT OPERATORS ARE THERE IN THE NETWORK?
About 10 per cent of our network are multi-unit operators.
DO FRANCHISEES NEED TO DO BARISTA TRAINING?
As part of our three-week training program at our head office, we dedicate one week for the franchisees to learn everything about coffee. They practise the skills in our training facility and are trained to serve customers in our company owned cafe.
WHAT FOOD PREPARATION IS REQUIRED AT THE OUTLETS?
We’re a full-service cafe with everything prepared freshly on site. Most of our ingredients are delivered fresh.
HOW DOES YOUR BRAND HELP FRANCHISEES STAY COMPLIANT?
We help our franchisees stay compliant with our support teams. These teams include subject matter experts from marketing, training, procurement with a strong ratio of support from field operations. We have online platforms with on-demand training and other resources for franchisees to tap into.
WHAT ARE THE BRAND’S GROWTH PLANS FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS?
In terms of brand growth, we’re looking at sustainable growth of 30-plus stores.
HOW WILL THE BUSINESS ADAPT TO COMPETITION AND REVENUE CHALLENGES?
The implementation of the brand refresh including the future store design will definitely help us keep a step ahead. Additionally, developing new channels of revenue for convenience, including online ordering and catering, is another way for us to test our business model and see where we can be more profitable.