Jamaica Blue’s lifts sales by up to 22% with new café design
The brand has also seen a 20% reduction in fit-out costs.
Foodco’s Jamaica Blue brand has recorded sales growth of up to 22% after rolling out a new store design across its network in Australia and New Zealand.
Speaking at the QSR Media Conference & Awards 2025 Powered by Red Bull, FoodCo CEO Richard Goodman said the café chain’s new layout and modular design have made stores more comfortable for customers. “We’ve seen a 5% increase in customer satisfaction.”
“We’ve also seen improved operational efficiency—and as you’d know, seconds mean a lot in retail,” he added.
The redesign will continue across the brand’s 108 cafés in Australia and New Zealand, including stores in airports, hospitals, and shopping centres. “Our space needs to be flexible, inclusive, welcoming, and efficient.”
The move comes as construction and fit-out costs continue to rise across the quick-service and café industry. Goodman said Jamaica Blue’s building costs have gone up by nearly 38% in the last five years.
Some of the brand’s oldest cafés—between 14 and 16 years old—have been refurbished for under $100,000, with the company reusing finishes and fixtures to lower waste and improve energy efficiency. The new modular design has shortened build times and helped franchisees recover their investment faster. “We've got a 20% reduction in fit-out costs.”
The redesign focuses on lighting, comfort, and sustainability, with stores now featuring LED lighting, locally sourced materials, and warmer colours. The company is also testing the use of self-service kiosks.
“Less than 5% of customers use [kiosks],” the CEO said. “However, orders showed more than 10% higher average spend than traditional counter transactions.”
Goodman explained that the redesign was also guided by customer research, which found that the brand’s earlier look and feel appeared ‘too masculine’. “Research told us the brand had a split personality. The new design focuses on being unpretentious, upbeat, and fun.”
