Just Love Franchise News


Just Love Continues Robust National Expansion

Just Love Continues Robust National Expansion

Outstanding coffee and food, great ambiance and strong mission of community support combine to create interest among forward-thinking entrepreneurs

Just Love Coffee Cafe is on track to award at least a dozen new coffee cafe franchises in 2018, positioning the growing brand at the forefront of the $12 billion U.S. coffee-shop industry.

The Nashville-based brand has seen strong local growth since debuting in 2009 as an online coffee service shop to help raise funds for families seeking to adopt children. Thanks to a business model that’s accessible to experienced and new franchise owners alike, Just Love is seeing strong interest across the United States, says President Alan Thompson.

Just Love Coffee Latte

All geographic areas open to franchise development

“Just Love has already exceeded its growth goal for 2018, and more potential franchise owners are in the pipeline,” Thompson says. “From its humble beginnings as a nonprofit, Just Love has become a powerhouse franchise opportunity and is creating excitement in very diverse markets that range from urban cores to suburban areas. That shows the viability and promise of the concept to succeed in every kind of population setting.”

New locations soon will open in Michigan, Texas and Georgia, while Tennessee growth is occurring in Knoxville as well as through infill expansion in Just Love’s home territory in and around the booming metro-Nashville market.

Brand poised to excel in a competitive sector

Many factors explain the explosive growth in Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise locations. The rise of major chains has created a coffee culture in the United States while also getting consumers used to paying higher prices for specialty blends. At the same time, the limited food menu of many national chains created an opening for a model that would not only offer outstanding coffee, but also provide a full breakfast and lunch menu available all day long.

Just Love Coffee Plain Jane

Just Love has grabbed that opening and run with it. A fun, quirky menu, with many items made on waffle irons, is easy to execute and gives franchise owners close to a 50-50 mix on food vs. beverage sales, creating higher revenue and a resulting larger profit margin. Another financial plus is the attractive initial-investment price point, which starts at just over $200,000 — the same or even lower than coffee-oriented brands that don’t offer food.

After the launch of two successful locations in Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee & Eatery is an ideal investment for both new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of the most exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.

Ready to open a Just Love Coffee franchise?

For in-depth details about the Just Love Coffee franchise opportunity, download the free franchise report. You also can learn more by visiting our franchise research pages.

3 Ways Just Love Coffee Shop Stands Out As a Brand

3 Ways Just Love Coffee Shop Stands Out As a Brand

Outstanding coffee is one of many differentiators for Just Love, which is why franchise owners are building business even in the most competitive markets

The United States, its urban areas in particular, doesn’t lack for coffee shops. Even so, some are far better than others, and that’s because they have found ways to stand out and meet consumer demand in attention-getting, positive ways. Every Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise falls into that category, because at Just Love the coffee is the linchpin of a business that offers so much more.

“Just Love was created because our founders love great coffee, and also because they believed that a business can do more than offer great products; it can be a true community asset,” says Alan Thompson, President. “Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise owners show how that’s possible every day.”

Just Love Coffee Beans

First, there’s the coffee

Just Love’s award-winning roasters have created multiple high-end specialty blends for Just Love and have done so without being fussy or elitist. Many retailers, including Whole Foods, have noticed these clean, bright flavors and now carry Just Love-branded products on their shelves. Coffee-driven millennials and other enthusiasts have gravitated to them as well, allowing Just Love franchise owners to enjoy additional income through a thriving bean-retail business.

“Because we work with growers around the world to obtain organic, fair-trade beans, we further Just Love’s mission of creating a loving culture,” Thompson says. “Just Love proves that you can have the highest quality coffee without the pretentiousness — treat every customer with dignity and respect, and they’ll enjoy every visit.”

Ambiance also a key differentiator

Also setting Just Love apart is its vibe, which founder Rob Webb wanted to be family friendly and casual, in line with his original concept of a business geared toward helping people create and grow families. The result is a cafe that allows families and friends to meet up and unwind rather than rush in, order from a harried barista and be hustled back out. Whether it’s a casual business meeting or date night, Just Love has created a relaxed,  inviting space similar to European style coffee shops.

Just Love Coffee Food

Food offerings also create buzz and interest

Certainly not last is Just Love’s diverse food offerings, available all day long. A fun, quirky menu, with many items made on waffle irons, is easy to execute and gives franchise owners close to a 50-50 mix on food vs. beverage sales, creating higher revenue and a resulting larger profit margin.

After the launch of two successful locations in Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee & Eatery is an ideal investment for both new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of the most exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.

Ready to open a Just Love Coffee franchise?

For in-depth details about the Just Love Coffee franchise opportunity, download the free franchise report. You also can learn more by visiting our franchise research pages.

Meet Detroit’s New Just Love Coffee Shop Franchise Owner

Meet Detroit’s New Just Love Coffee Shop Franchise Owner

After years working in IT, this food-industry veteran has found a brand that speaks to him personally and professionally as he builds for his future

When a new Just Love Coffee cafe franchise opens in Shelby Township, Michigan, later this year, it may have some extra tech-oriented bells and whistles. That’s because owner Olsi Kapoli is a longtime IT veteran with time at General Motors and Hewlett-Packard under his belt. Before he got a degree in information systems and security, however, the Albanian native had a long history working in restaurants — and he is eager to return.

Just Love Coffee Espresso Machine

What got you thinking about a return to food service?

As I have been working in IT, I have also been working in the food industry in various capacities. I’m 33 and probably have been working in restaurants for half my life. My father’s cousin had a coffee shop in Albania, so I have seen that part of the industry up close. I also did some bartending, and after moving to the United States I worked at some chain restaurants as a server, bartender and manager while I was going to school. I’ve even worked at a golf club restaurant.

Whenever I would stop working in food service and just do IT work, I found I missed the interactions with people. I like talking to different people, and I like working in the food and beverage industry. So I began looking around to see what options were out there in terms of owning my own operation.

What part of owning a Just Love Coffee cafe appealed to you?

My wife and I purchased an apartment as a real estate investment, and then we decided to begin growing a real estate business. It’s great, but it’s not what I wanted to focus on. Then we thought about owning our own restaurant because my mom is a great cook. We were looking at something that would be cheese and meat platters, beer and wine, something not found in the local market. We fiddled with a menu, began looking around — and realized it was going to be too expensive.

You often see new restaurants, even great ones, go under because of all that expense. My wife suggested looking at franchising, and while I liked the idea I didn’t want to open another location of anything that was already here. We certainly don’t need another Starbucks or Subway. I wanted something interesting, and when I began searching I found Just Love. It caught my eye immediately; I didn’t even think it was a coffee place at first!

There are lots of places to get coffee; how is Just Love different?

As I researched the brand, read information and watched videos from the founders, I really liked what they were all about. And then when I began looking at the food, I fell in love with the waffle idea — we don’t have that in the Detroit area, so I would be bringing something new here. I reached out and spoke with some franchise owners, and then I spent some time in Nashville and was just amazed. It’s not just a coffee shop; it’s a place to meet friends, to have a meal, to even listen to entertainment. It’s so welcoming and so different from other coffee-bar concepts that are out there.

How else do you think Just Love stands out?

It doesn’t churn customers. They come, are welcomed and hang out as long as they like. Just Love uses mugs; I love that. My wife and I loved Friends, and a big thing about that coffee-shop set, Central Perk, is that they used mugs and silver, not cheap throwaway stuff. It feels like an authentic, friendly place and not just another coffee place or restaurant.

What else about Just Love’s onboarding process eased your mind?

Everyone we met with was so eager to help. We had help with finding a great location, and also with the next steps of hiring builders and getting the location ready. My favorite part has been getting the sign up, because we’re in a busy area and want people to know something great is coming! I also am very reassured by all the conversations we’ve had about training, not just for ahead of time but during and after we open, so that we have all the operations down and everything runs smoothly from the outset. Everyone has been very generous with their time and attention, and we are just so eager to be open and serving our friends and neighbors.

After the launch of two successful locations in Brentwood and Nashville, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee is an ideal investment for new or experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of the most exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.

Ready to open a Just Love Coffee franchise?

For in-depth details about the Just Love Coffee franchise opportunity, download the free franchise report. You also can learn more by visiting our franchise research pages.

Just Love’s Nashville Growth Is Template for In-Market Expansion

Just Love’s Nashville Growth Is Template for In-Market Expansion

High-visibility franchise locations create consumer interest as well as business opportunities for entrepreneurs who want a scalable, on-trend brand

A good location is foundational to business success. While that’s true for most any kind of operation, it’s especially valid in the booming coffee-shop sector, where even the best-known brands can struggle if they’re not in front of consumers.  That’s why Just Love Coffee Cafe’s continued growth in its hometown of Nashville serves as a model for continued expansion nationwide.

“We’ve been able to go from one coffee cafe franchise to several thanks to strong franchise owner partnerships, and also because of very aggressive and focused work on finding the right real estate,” says Kevin Bauerle, Director of Franchise Development. “As a relatively new brand, we wanted to build our strategy for growth in major markets here at home, and that’s been going very well.”

Womlete

Creating territories with multiple opportunities

The goal for every Just Love Coffee cafe franchise, regardless of community size, is to be in a market where it can draw from residential areas, nearby businesses and even entertainment venues as much as possible. That creates a steady stream of business throughout the day and evening, setting the franchise owner and his or her team up for ongoing revenue vs. unpredictable peaks and valleys.

“If you’re in the center of things, people are going to gravitate to you,” Bauerle explains. “In Nashville, we have a Just Love franchise location that benefited from the nearby CMA Music Festival downtown, for instance. That’s not going to be the case everywhere, of course, but finding the optimal real estate in terms of steady business is a major factor for our search teams when they work with new franchise owners.”

Metro growth can be replicated in suburban areas

Just Love Coffee Nashviille

Just Love Coffee cafe franchises also are popping up in suburban areas adjacent to major metro markets. They too are benefiting from this targeted approach to real estate based on population and other research metrics.

“In a suburban area, we know that we’re going to pursue shopping areas that see all-day foot traffic,” Bauerle says. “Those with multiplexes and other entertainment venues are ideal, because they bring people in outside the 9-to-5 window. When we establish a franchise location in those kinds of areas, those owners will see the same kind of benefits that their urban counterparts do.”

After the launch of two successful locations in Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee & Eatery is an ideal investment for both new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of the most exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.

Ready to open a Just Love Coffee franchise?

For in-depth details about the Just Love Coffee franchise opportunity, download the free franchise report. You also can learn more by visiting our franchise research pages.

Just Love Coffee Cafe Franchise Owners Are Community Partners

Just Love Coffee Cafe Franchise Owners Are Community Partners

Philanthropic efforts are a year-round endeavor for a business that’s built on a culture of creating engagement and opportunity for worthwhile organizations

Listing the ways that a Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise stands out in the coffee-shop landscape could take a while. A big one, however, and one of the brand’s founding principles, is helping nonprofits find support and grow.

adoption

“We began as an online business to help families fund their adoption journey, and so from the beginning we wanted to be a company that could help good causes,” says Rob Webb, founder. “As Just Love began to take off in physical locations and then become a franchise opportunity, that has only continued.”

Socially minded enterprise builds awareness

Just Love franchise owners often partner with local nonprofits and charities for a specialty promotion that highlights what that group is and does. Some of those are national or even international causes, while others are more local in nature. Whatever the case, they allow Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise owners to be more than a local business, but a true community partner.

“We say we help people ‘caffeinate their fundraising,’ and that’s very exciting for us,” Webb says. “There are so many wonderful organizations out there, and Just Love franchise owners love that they can be a part of something much larger while they also are operating and growing a successful business.”

Brand benefits from engaged customers

Fundraising helps franchise owners in two ways: One, it ties them into an organization’s communications network, including social media, websites and emails that will highlight Just Love’s role in the endeavor. And second, when a nonprofit’s supporters come into a Just Love for the first time, they are won over by the unique, relaxed vibe they find and soon become regulars.

“Many people will hear about a promotion and visit a Just Love franchise to pick up the beans in person,” Webb explains. “When they do, the find a place that’s friendly, has great coffee and wonderful food, and where they feel welcomed and valued. Then the franchise owner has not only made a sale, he or she has expanded their customer base. It’s a great opportunity for everybody.”

After the launch of several successful locations in Nashville and Brentwood, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee & Eatery is an ideal investment for both new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of the most exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.

Ready to open a Just Love Coffee franchise?

For in-depth details about the Just Love Coffee franchise opportunity, download the free franchise report. You also can learn more by visiting our franchise research pages.

Austin, Texas, Lands a Just Love Coffee Shop Franchise

Austin, Texas, Lands a Just Love Coffee Shop Franchise

Family-friendly, fun vibe sets Just Love apart from other players in the booming coffee cafe franchise sector, as these Austin owners are finding out

Just Love Coffee Cafe franchise owners come from all walks of life — that’s one of the amazing things about the business. It has a strong appeal to all kinds of people, both as customers and as franchise owners. For Austin, Texas, residents Chad and Marie Talley, the idea of owning a business that fit in beautifully with their lifestyle and community was too good to pass up.

Just Love Coffee

What led to your decision to open your own small business?

Chad: I’ve been working for Dell for the past 11 years and currently am a Director of Global Process Engineering. I have a strong management and business background, and I also teach and mentor a college and career class at our church. I wanted to find a way to combine my experience and mentoring in a way that would also work as a business. Just Love offers us that.

Marie: I also work with Chad as a mentor for young adults and have spent the past 10 years at home with our four children. My background is as an operations manager, including time overseeing the planning, purchasing and logistics of a robotics company. Like Chad, I wanted to bring the skills I have developed to a business that we would own, but that would also be a meaningful space for ourselves, our friends and community.

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How did you find out about the Just Love Coffee Cafe brand?

Chad: We had been talking about opening our own business and were really just toying around with the idea — we hadn’t settled on any particular concept or what that would look like. I had a work-related trip planned in Nashville, and so I was doing some searches to find activities in the area where I’d be staying. I came across one of the Just Love locations there, and after visiting I found out there were franchising opportunities. From there, the pieces began to fall into place.

What made Just Love stand out for you?

Chad: We like that Just Love is integrated into the communities where it has locations. It’s a part of something, and we want to have a business that ties into our relationships with schools, friends, church and everything else. Now our work life can be a part of that larger picture.

Marie: I like the heart of it. We had talked about starting a coffee shop, but nothing beyond that as an idea. When we saw Just Love, both in terms of what it started out doing and what it looks like, we realized that it was very close to what we would want our business to look like. Why recreate the wheel? These people weren’t just serving coffee, they were serving the community. They want to better the community. We saw what they believed, and it matched completely with what we wanted.

How do you see your business plugging into your community?

Chad: So many ways. One big aspect of Just Love is “coffee with a purpose.” They began with the premise of helping people with adoption and have grown to be supportive of so many other worthy organizations. At the same time, they have built a business model that is financially rewarding to franchise owners. We see ourselves doing the same thing, on a smaller level, with the many community groups here that need support. We’re passionate about helping others, and we want people to have a place where they also can support their own passions. The culture of Just Love matches the culture that Marie and I want to grow; it’s more than just offering a product, but what they’re all about.

How has the corporate team engagement helped?

Chad: They have been a fantastic resource. We’ve been looking at several sites, and they were with us as we closed in on a location in the North Austin area. We are glad to have that support, because I am still working at my Dell job and Marie is still shifting back into workforce mode and still focused on our children. This is a big life transition for us, and they are helping us so that anything we face doesn’t create bigger challenges. Now we’re gearing up to get open this fall and are so excited about what’s next for us and for Just Love in Austin.

After the launch of two successful locations in Brentwood and Nashville, Tennessee, one of the hottest cities in the nation, Just Love Coffee is primed for expansion in 2018. Led by an executive team with proven experience in growing franchise systems, Just Love Coffee Cafe is an ideal investment for new and experienced entrepreneurs who want to get in on the ground floor of an exciting business opportunity in the $12 billion U.S. coffee shop industry.

Ready to open a Just Love Coffee franchise?

For in-depth details about the Just Love Coffee franchise opportunity, download the free franchise report. You also can learn more by visiting our franchise research pages.