Specialty coffee company, Zarraffa’s Coffee has this week celebrated the opening of the network’s 50th drive through location.
The milestone comes after almost a decade of drive-through service for the franchise, who launched their inaugural car-friendly coffee model in 2009.
Since then, the coffee convenience brand has experienced steady growth, with the latest site opening in Edmonton, a suburb of Cairns in Far North Queensland.
Seasoned franchisees, Joanne and Paul Brierley are the husband and wife duo behind Zarraffa’s Edmonton and were enticed to become multi-site franchisees following the success of their initial store at Cairns Showgrounds.
“It’s been quite the journey since opening our first store, and as we transition into multi-store ownership, we’re excited to be expanding our footprint into the southern corridor of Cairns,” Joanne said.
“Cairns Showground was born and grew from a passion to provide our customers with a differentiated coffee experience that saw us engrain ourselves into the local community.”
Community plays a big part for both Zarraffa’s and the Brierleys, with Joanne suggesting the couple’s local knowledge was critical to the Showground site’s success.
“We have been Cairns locals for nearly 20 years and after recognising a gap in the market for quality drive thru coffee back in 2014, we knew it was a step in the right direction.”
“The connection to our customers and wonderful staff who love working with us is a testament to the level of consistent quality we aim to pour into the Edmonton store.”
Now, with a second store in their portfolio, the duo are hoping to extend that local knowledge and passion for coffee excellence to a new Cairns market.
“We genuinely look forward to building our existing customer base and meeting new people in the area to give them a taste of our exceptional product and refreshing service,” Joanne said.
Kenton Campbell, Zarraffa’s managing director said the success of both the Brierleys and the drive thru model came down to good people and good strategy.
“Since launching our first drive through, there has been a lot of research into the operation and functionality of the model to ensure that we deliver the Zarraffa’s Coffee promise and standard time and time again,” Campbell said.
“Drive throughs have taken our retail operation to the next level, capturing a large chunk of the time-poor drive market that is seeking the ultimate convenience and easier access to quality coffee.”
“With close to four years in our Group, Joanne, Paul and their team will deliver a stand-out level of service and coffee experience.”
The latest site is in Mill Rd, Edmonton and will employ a local team of 25, with a handful of employees moving across from the existing Showground site to help with initial set-up and training.