Behind the Headlines: We talk exclusively to Gloria Jeans about their strategy re-boot
25 stores to close by March.
Gloria Jeans is transofmring itself to a franchise only business. Coupled with their recent acqusition by Singapore based GYP there is a huge amount of change for the brand.
We find out what this all means for the business in this exclusive Q&A with Nabi Saleh:
QSR Media: Where are these stores and who would be best suited to becoming a franchise partner?
Saleh: The corporate stores that we are looking to successfully franchise over the coming weeks are located across both suburban and regional locations across NSW, WA, Qld and Victoria. The ideal franchise partner for us is first and foremost a passionate business-minded entrepreneur who is inspired by the opportunity to serve their community – it also helps if they love coffee! We’re actively looking for new franchise partners, so we do encourage your readers to reach out to Jenny Colla at Gloria Jean’s Coffees on 02 9846 0374.
QSR Media: Can you expand a bit on the philosophy of being a "franchise only" business, what strategic benefits will it deliver for the group?
Saleh: Gloria Jean’s Coffees has always been solely driven by our vision to serve our franchise partners. However, over the years for all sorts of reasons we have acquired about 25 of our 400 coffee houses, which while it was the right thing to do at the time, is not part of our future business strategy. We are moving forward with a myopic focus on our franchise model. It is worth noting that the guiding light for us in these decisions has been, and will continue to be a clear focus on delivering excellence, service and outstanding value for money in all its forms to our current and future franchise partners, thereby empowering them to build strong and profitable businesses.
QSR Media: Will you be launching a new recruitment drive to attract franchisees given the quick lead-time?
Saleh: One of the benefits of being in the franchise business for 17 years is that we have a terrific network of Franchise Partners and individuals interested in franchising – so making sure our networks are aware of the opportunities and able to spread the word is the number one recruitment strategy for us, and it’s working well already! Of course, underpinning this is the Gloria Jean’s Coffees website which has a wealth of information about joining our brand and becoming a Franchise Partner – visit www.gloriajeanscoffee.com.au.
QSR Media: There has been a lot of change at GJC recently, what would you like to tell the market about the business and where it is headed?
Saleh: The acquisition of Gloria Jean’s Coffees by GYP marks the next phase in our global expansion. Already with more than 800 coffee houses in 39 countries, we are excited about the very real prospect of seeing our coffee houses grow internationally to become a truly global coffee house brand. Our business will benefit from having a bigger global group structure, headquartered out of Singapore, whilst still having a firm focus on supporting local, Australian entrepreneurial Franchise Partners.
QSR Media: Any other comments?
Saleh: Gloria Jean’s Coffees has extraordinary potential for growth globally. Now as a result of the acquisition, GYP, with its connections in China and across Asia combined with its capital resources and outstanding board and investor talent, will deliver exceptional value to Gloria Jean’s Coffees in its vision to become a truly global brand built on powerful Australian foundations.
