Zarraffa's unveil National Award winners
Held at the RACV Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast, Zarraffa's Coffee crowned its 2016 Franchisee of the Year.
Taking top honours were mother and daughter duo, Tracey Slater and Danielle Cook, who helm the brand's Warwick store. The regional Warwick store was the top all-around performer across the country.
“It's a firm indictment, not only for our brand but for the strength of coffee as a retail staple in both metro and regional markets,” said Zarraffa's CEO Kenton Campbell.
“Our plans to extend our footprint are based primarily on our customers and their access to convenient coffee, and it is operators like Tracey and Danielle who exemplify the experience.”
The duo who opened their store in 2011, made the decision to relocate back to Warwick to open what was then the company's 5th drive thru location.
“We turned up to head office and they offered us the Warwick site, it must have been fated as Mum was born and bred there and we have six generations of family in the vicinity,” said Danielle Cook.
“We are both used to working hard and long hours and, when we set out on this journey with Zarraffa's, we came to the decision that if we were going to be doing the hard yards we'd much prefer to do it for ourselves. It's been an incredible ride so far.”
The 2016 Store of the Year Award was once again awarded to the Beenleigh store and franchisees Nick and Kelly Daswani for the second year running.
“I like to live by the ethos that ‘no one ever gave his best and regretted it', and I would say that is especially true of our staff – there are definitely no regrets and we have been fortunate enough to be rewarded two years in a row for it,” Nick Daswani said.
The 2016 Awards also recognised new talent in the company, ironically with a long established store.
Miami One on the Gold Coast, took out this year's Rookie of the Year Award with owners, Ben and Camilla Martin with Rebecca and Courtney Seager, working to create high customer satisfaction since taking on the franchise in 2014.
The CEO Encouragement Award was presented to the Coolangatta store who have continued to build a solid business in the southern Gold Coast area.
Another example of an established store site, which opened in 2010, being given a new lease on life through hard work and collaboration by franchisees Marcus and Melissa Free, who purchased the franchise in mid-2014.
“It's been a big couple of years of consolidation with some stores being turned over to new ownership and the 2016 Awards are testament to our franchisee's commitment to our system and, I believe, to the support delivered to ensure health across our entire franchise network,” said Campbell.
“We are entering our 20th year of retailing and I cannot express my excitement for what's to come in the next few years.”
“There are incredible opportunities for expansion in new markets, which will deliver better convenience for our customers, through new and improved food offerings, a more comfortable instore experience, and a brand new base of operations, all built around the same exceptional coffee we have always been known for.”
“All of this, combined with an incredible foundation of dedicated franchisees and amazing customers, is what I have been working towards since opening my first store in 1996 and is genuinely a dream come true.”
