Tipping the 100 mark is always a significant moment in the life of a business, as two home-grown franchise chains can attest – cafe chain Jamaica Blue and all-hours gym network Plus Fitness 24/7 have just celebrated their 100th outlets.
JAMAICA BLUE
Jamaica Blue has celebrated the opening of its 100th store in Australia, bringing the total number of outlets internationally to 134.
The company was in a reflective mood at the official opening with the latest franchisee who is taking up the reins of the milestone store (Miranda’s second Jamaica Blue outlet) joining the incumbent Miranda franchisee and the very first Miranda Jamaica Blue franchisee from 1992 over a cup of tea in the original pineapple-painted crockery.
The latest outlet is showcasing the newest interpretation of the Jamaica Blue coffee heritage which has driven the brand’s evolution over the years. National brand manager Drew Eide says “It’s critical to stay relevant to changing customer tastes and food trends. We are seeing changes in eating habits, with customers looking for healthier choices.”
These trends are reflected in the menu with extensions such as the Light Blue range but also in the store design.
“We are incorporating crates full of fresh food,” says Eide.
The striking blue and white elements have been overtaken by a more subtle imagining of the Caribbean inspiration but the design retains the lobster lights and tub chairs.
“It’s about staying true to the essence of the brand, using the colours within the palette to create a connection with the Jamaican coffee heritage,” says Eide.
Celebrating the milestone is important for the network he adds; “franchisees can see the growth of the brand, see we are resonating with customers and building more brand awareness.”
Further growth is expected across the country next year.
Most recently the cafe chain has extended into Malaysia and has plans for a UK opening in the university city of Cambridge pre-Christmas.
PLUS FITNESS 24/7
Three years and 100 outlets: the Plus Fitness 24/7 model has just celebrated the launch of its milestone gym with franchisees Richard Borradale and Dean Edwards.
What started out as the Big Box Health Clubs chain, first established 18 years ago by founding CEO John Fuller, became a scalable franchise model in 2011 led by Fuller and Nigel Miller.
Fuller believes the multi-unit model is helping the brand’s success. “Multi-unit franchisees now represent a high percentage of our network which is something we are very proud of and we are seeing more and more franchisees drive exceptional results from multi-site ownership.”
Miller says the emphasis on relevant franchise support has been an essential element of the gym’s expansion. “As we have continued to grow we have constantly revisited how we deliver this to ensure that we are providing all franchisees access to the support and tools they need to succeed. Lately we have turned more to technology to assist us here with the launch of both an online training platform and an online print management system,” he says.
The online training with its interactive workshops has particularly helped interstate franchisees, Miller says.
Newbie franchisees Richard Borrodale and Dean Edwards are at the helm of the 100th gym, located in the Mountain High Shopping Centre in Bayswater, Victoria. About 10 percent of the gyms in the Plus Fitness network are shopping centre based.
Functional training, based on the CrossFit style of fitness training, is the latest development at the chain. “It’s had good reactions from franchisees and customers,” says Fuller.
The gym chain was named FCA Emerging Franchisor of the Year 2013 and has 52 further franchises lined up for opening within the next 12 months.
Lately we have turned more to technology to assist us here with the launch of both an online training platform and an online print management system,” he says.
The gym chain was named FCA Emerging Franchisor of the Year 2013.