Carting up some top coffee
WELLINGTON coffee lovers will soon be getting Streetwise. The company whose black-andsilver coffee carts are sprinkled throughout the lower North Island is seeking franchisees for locations in Wellington, starting with Cuba St.
‘‘The reason we think Cuba St is a great area for Streetwise is because there is really strong coffee culture, the site is highly visible to the one-way car traffic and there is an eclectic mix of people constantly walking past the spot,’’ Streetwise Coffee’s Graeme Harris says.
‘‘It has a humming, vibrant environment, from first thing in the morning until late in the day, and we feel the distinctive design of our designer coffee cart will look just the part in these surroundings.’’
The first Streetwise Coffee outlet opened 10 years ago in Otaki.
‘‘The idea was to bring topquality Wellington-style coffee to other towns and cities around New Zealand,’’ Mr Harris says.
‘‘Now that Streetwise has expanded around the North Island, it’s time to bring our business model back to the heart of it all so Wellingtonians can enjoy our fast, smiley service and most importantly, really, really good coffee.’’
He says although Cuba St has plenty of cafes, Streetwise is purely a takeaway coffee business.
‘‘We simply want to provide sensational coffee and nibbles for people who don’t have time to queue.’’
The start-up cost for a new Streetwise business begins at $130,000. This includes the fully equipped coffee unit, an exclusive franchise area, legal fees, site works, business software, (connection to power, water, broadband) and also includes an allowance of $15,000 working capital that the new franchisee may or may not need during the early establishment phase.
‘‘The turnover created by a Streetwise franchise will vary depending on the site and also the pro-active nature of the owner,’’ Mr Harris says.
‘‘A well-performing Streetwise business will achieve over half-a- million dollars a year. So the return on investment has the potential to be outstanding.’’
He points out the cost of entry is low compared with many hospitality businesses.
‘‘The ongoing franchise fees are also low. When the business is well established the owner should be able to generate an income, after expenses, of over six figures.
‘‘So far three of our franchisees have opened a second unit within their franchise area.’’
Everyone who works in a Streetwise outlet, whether an owner or a staff member, has full barista (and refresher) training to ensure every drink is to a high standard, Mr Harris says.
‘‘This is particularly important in a city of discerning coffee lovers – and is why our franchisees often get emails or text messages from customers who go out of their way to compliment them on their coffees.
‘‘We also like to create a fun, quirky feel to each business and even though the carts look the same externally, we like the owners to inject their own personality into the interior.’’
For instance, franchisees can stipulate the colour of their coffee machine and grinders.
‘‘We then provide T-shirts the same colour with our logo on them,’’ Mr Harris says.
‘‘We also work with them to provide internal graphics unique to their business.’’
The typical Streetwise franchisee will love the thought of owning their own coffee business but with the backup and support of an established brand that is growing and expanding around New Zealand, he says.
‘‘We are definitely not a sell-it and forget-it company.
‘‘On start-up, we spend as much time as it takes working with a new owner and we regularly visit each franchisee to set goals, discuss ideas and help with local promotions.
‘‘Consistency is paramount to our model.
‘‘We are unashamedly precious about our brand and the way it is portrayed.
‘‘The quality of service and the drinks must meet the very high standards we set.
‘‘We have annual meetings here in Wellington with all our franchisee ‘partners’ from around the country to present any developments, discuss new ideas and to have our own internal barista competition.’’
For more information, contact Graeme Harris on (06) 364 5733, 021 433 525 or at: graeme@streetwisecoffee.co.nz.
www.streetwisecoffee.co.nz