Monday, July 30, 2012

Mint Chip Creme Freeze makes a cool comeback

Mint Chip Creme Freeze makes a cool comeback

Recipe for Dynamic Growth

Now, more than ever, I am looking forward to our Annual Franchise Meeting coming up in late August. As with everything else at BIGGBY, this meeting just keeps on growing! I can still remember our first meeting back in 1999; we all literally were able to fit around a conference table. This year, the group is so large —more than 250 attendees — that we have to move the venue to the Convention Center in downtown Lansing, MI. The three-day meeting will encompass numerous presentations in multiple classrooms, and an elegant dinner and awards ceremony. In our 13 years of franchising, a lot has changed! That being said, there is one thing that has not changed at BIGGBY — our unassailable desire to grow. We have always been a top-line driven company; that is, we would like to earn at least one more dollar tomorrow than we did yesterday. We understand that the best way to do this is to continue to provide an experience to BIGGBY fanatics (aka our customers) that is dynamic, memorable and strengthens their desire to return more often, tell a friend, bring a friend, or better yet, all of the above. We also understand that as the specialty coffee industry continues to evolve, we need to be stewards of that change. We are leading the way in listening to what our fanatics want and need. Occasionally, we leap ahead to discover the wants and needs they did not even know they had yet. BIGGBY has been a leader in product developments, such as “Reduced Calorie” beverages, smoothies, energy boost, tea lattes, and the operational execution of “Hot, Iced or Frozen.” Blending product development with a positive customer experience has been a great recipe for dynamic growth. Our ability to continue to grow has outpaced so many other concepts in these last few years. We are currently experiencing 32 consecutive months of same-store-sales growth, averaging 9.28%. When combined with new-store-sales, this rate looks even better. In 2010, our overall store-sales averaged 18.15%; in 2011 it was 18.00%; and currently in 2012, it is 17.40%. When you compare our numbers to data taken from the June 25, 2012 issue of Nation’s Restaurant News, here is how a few other concepts faired last year: Panera Bread 12.21%, Dunkin’ Donuts 4.71%, Starbucks 7.28%, Tim Horton’s 5.48% and McDonald’s 4.39%. BIGGBY outpaced the growth rate of these companies by 6 to 13%. Our continued aggressive growth has been a great measuring stick of our success, with change being a significant agent of that growth. I invite you to become a part of our growth, a member of our franchise family, and claim your seat at our 2013 Annual Franchise Meeting. B happy. Have fun. Make friends. Love people. Drink great coffee. All my best,