On Monday, Caribou Coffee®, the premium coffee house by Panera Brands has launched the Caribou Coffee franchise program, part of Panera Brands’ portfolio. Caribou Coffee has been a leader in the coffeehouse sector since its establishment in 1992, with over 718 franchise presence globally, i.e., outside of the United States, Caribou Coffee has 269 franchise outlets. Within the US, they have so far “non-traditional or license sites.”
This franchise expansion policy will help Caribou Coffee increase its domestic market share. The new US franchise program “leverages our three decades of operations, brand power, and adaptable coffeehouse designs to provide the scalable processes and systems that will drive our growth in the United States.”
An official press release said that the business offers franchise possibilities in “target areas across the United States.” Within Minnesota, Caribou Coffee has 297 stores more than any other state and more than its Seattle-based competitor, Starbucks.
The company is looking for franchise shops for “experienced multi-unit operators.” The Minnesota-based Coffee brand Caribou Coffee also considers the new “Caribou Cabin” drive-thru-only facilities besides traditional coffee shops.
The introduction of the Caribou Cabins retail store concept in 2019 was the second significant shift before the franchise drive. Caribou Cabins are small-footprint retail shops with little or no seating focusing on drive-through and fast service, as per Caribou CEO John Butcher’s concept.
Caribou has recently undergone two significant transformations, the latest of which is its rapid expansion into franchising. According to a business spokesman, “we are seeking to extend our presence via franchise expansion with our continuing corporate development.”
JAB Holdings, a company with connections to the German wealthy Reimann family, purchased Caribou in 2012. In August 2021, JAB Holding Company merged Caribou with Einstein Bagels and Panera Bread to create Panera Brands.
Franchisees benefit from universal products tailored to meet the specific needs of their market and help them expand faster, according to the coffee franchise brand that also imagines offering an initial public offering (IPO) sometime on to the future.
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