Constantly Innovating

Esquires Coffee continues to improve upon its store design, food and beverage offering, and equipment and technology

Esquires Coffee aims to become the UK’s leading Fairtrade and organic coffee franchise by 2020. And with seven new stores already in the works for 2017, the brand is on its way to achieving its ambition.

Esquires, which was established in British Columbia, Canada in 1993, is now operating in over 11 different international markets and is targeting many others for 2017 and beyond, including the US market.

Esquires is a brand that doesn’t stay still - it’s constantly innovating, improving upon its store design, food and beverage offering, equipment and technology.

Perfect ambience

The company understands the needs of the modern day coffee consumer. Its stores are designed to be comfortable yet modern, with power receptacles to charge laptops and smartphones, free super-fast Wi-Fi, group tables and tables for two.

Whether you’re hosting a business meeting or its friends meeting up for a natter over coffee and cake, Esquires provides the perfect setting and ambience.

Stores are fitted with the most up to date and efficient technology to help you run your business. Merrychef ovens cut down heating time of paninis and toasties, helping you to serve more customers and sell more products.

The store ePOS system sends sales data direct to your smartphone, allowing you to track sales and measure profitability proactively. The ePOS system also has an integrated electronic loyalty programme, which tracks customer behaviour and builds a database for email marketing initiatives.

The coffee is, of course, the brand’s shining star. Esquires coffee is 100 per cent organic and Fairtrade certified, a blend of Arabica beans sourced from Fairtrade cooperatives in Ethiopia, Peru, Honduras and Indonesia.

Training programme

Esquires baristas are all enrolled on the company’s ‘3 Bean Barista’ training programme, where they learn everything from the journey the coffee takes from bean to cup and how to steam milk properly for each of the different drinks, to how to create latte art and how to teach new staff members to make coffee.

Esquires’ commitment to quality coffee, bespoke store design and well trained, knowledgeable baristas is key to the brand’s success.

As an Esquires franchise owner, you’ll be part of a brand that focuses on looking, thinking and acting like an independent, while also being able to benefit from the buying power and customer loyalty of a chain.

Esquires provides a bespoke solution for every partner’s needs, including full training, assistance with site selection and procurement, store design, lease negotiation, marketing and ongoing support.

Esquires is looking for franchise partners who have good business acumen, are self driven and goal oriented. Franchise partners should have strong roots in the community in which they operate and be passionate about coffee and offering great service.

Right people

As original co-founder and now managing director for the UK market, Doug Williamson, puts it: “Our focus is on finding great franchise partners and making sure they make money.

“We have to find the right people and put them into the right properties at the right rents.”

Investment in the franchise is £150,000-£265,000, dependent on size and location. Finance lenders will typically lend 50-70 per cent of the cost of the total investment.

The franchise fee for single sites is £19,500, whereas multi-store investors will pay £12,500 for additional sites.