Shingle Inn finalises franchising plan

Queensland-based restaurant and cafe business, Shingle Inn , will begin franchising in the latter part of this year.

Shingle Inn director, Andrew Bellchambers, said the intention was to develop the company's Queensland base by launching a network of new stores around the state within the next three years. Currently there are seven company-owned bakery cafes.

Franchising would enable Shingle Inn cafe and bakery business to make a move over the Queensland border into the southern states with some confidence, Bellchambers said.

"As a privately-owned and operated company, we've grown organically from one store for many years to seven stores this year. This fairly steady rollout, which has taken place over the last seven years, has allowed us to really understand the scalability and potential of our business.

"We see franchising as the perfect vehicle for our expansion because we are a very structured business with proven internal systems and procedures that we've developed over along period of time," Bellchambers said.

Product quality and freshness would be retained by maintaining the central bakery operation. This would enable products to be delivered fresh to each store on a daily basis, Bellchambers explained.

Shingle Inn has also broadened its product range to appeal to a wider market. It has just launched a gluten-free product range and will soon release a gourmet patty cake range.

Bellchambers said he and his family, who have been involved in the business for 33 years, wanted to transform Shingle Inn into the best known locally-owned cafe bakery chain in Australia.

"We are lucky in that one of our greatest assets is the connection the brand has with its customers. We're particularly focused on retaining the warmth of the Shingle Inn experience," he said.

Shingle Inn was founded in 1936 and has only been owned by two families in that time. The Bellchambers, brothers Peter and Andrew, took over the running of the business from their parents.

The Shingle Inn cafes themselves are a contemporary take on a 1930's teahouse and they are currently taking expressions of interest from people looking to own a high volume retail food business.