Tips For Boosting Your Franchise in Q3 and Q4 2022

In the franchising industry, it's important to be aware of the financial year. Made up of four quarters, the financial year is a period of 12 months that enables both franchisors and franchisees to calculate their budgets, profits and losses and compare their results to previous years to ascertain whether or not the business is performing as well as expected.

The financial year also allows franchisees to evaluate their success in greater detail by enabling them to compare their results quarterly, instead of across a whole year. This means that, if necessary, they can tweak their business offering to help increase profits and/or hit targets before the end of a particular quarter.

With this financial year's third quarter (Q3) starting on July 1st, what should you do if your franchise could do with a shot in the arm heading into it? Here are our top tips.

Keep things new and exciting

One of the benefits of becoming a franchisee is being able to use the franchisor's already-established name to attract customers. However, those customers are likely to become bored if your product offering stays exactly the same every day, so it's important to add new items to your menu to complement your perennial best-sellers every so often to keep regular customers interested and attract new business.

Keep an eye out for opportunities like the August Bank Holiday, Halloween and Bonfire Night and offer products themed around them when the time comes. 

At Cafe2U, we celebrated the Platinum Jubilee by adding some new items to our menus that were fit for a Queen, including the Eton Mess Milkshake, Cucumber & Mint Iced Tea and the English Toffee Iced Latte. Thankfully, our customers loved them!

Make sure you're environmentally-friendly

For many customers in 2022, eco-friendliness has become a necessity, with a significant number refusing to do business with companies that aren't overtly sustainable. 

If your franchise needs to drive extra footfall between now and the end of the year, review your marketing material and online presence to ensure you're making customers aware of just how sustainable your business is.

At Cafe2U, some of the green initiatives our franchisees can shout about include:

• our reusable or compostable cups

• our paper cup and coffee grounds recycling schemes

• our fully digitised, paper-free head office

• our sustainable and ethical partners and suppliers, and

• our fleet of emission-free, fully electric vehicles

Hit the road

If you need to increase the profitability of your franchise, it's a good idea to get off the beaten track every once in a while.

Every Cafe2U franchisee has an exclusive territory in which to operate but, no matter how well they know the area, untapped opportunities can often be found within it. If there's a good-sized park or sports field in your vicinity, find out if any upcoming events are taking place there - funfairs, charity events and performances by local bands or amateur dramatics groups will all provide you with an excellent opportunity to make new customers.

And don't forget to let people know where you'll be and when. Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram are great for getting a message out; you could also have pamphlets and flyers made up for some more traditional advertising.

Treat your customers kindly

Not for no reason is the phrase 'the customer is always right' still prevalent in the business world!

If you need to sell more of your product, one of the first things to review is your approach to customer service. Every person who visits you should be made to feel appreciated - after all, there are plenty of other places they could spend their money. Make sure you greet every customer, make eye contact, engage in small talk, go the extra mile to make sure they're happy with their order and generally treat them like royalty. Where possible, offer them a loyalty card to increase your chances of repeat business from them too.

Remember, people are much more likely to tell their friends and family about a bad experience than they are about a good one, so keeping your regular customers happy and making your new ones feel important is paramount. Doing this will give your franchise the boost it needs.

Take advantage of your franchisor's experience

If you need a helping hand, your franchisor is always there to help and offer advice and support, so don't be afraid to ask for help if your numbers aren't where you'd like them to be.  

Franchising opportunities with Cafe2U

There's never a bad time to join the franchising industry and at Cafe2U, all our franchisees receive all the training and support they need to make their business a success. If you're interested in investing in a Cafe2U franchise, click here for more information.

New Year's Coffee Resolutions

With 2021 finally in our rear-view mirrors, now is the time to look forward to a new year full of possibilities… and make some new year's resolutions!

With plenty of articles full of advice about doing more exercise or reading more books already out there, our resolutions have been designed with coffee drinkers in mind and aim to broaden your coffee horizons over the next 12 months. Read on to find out more.

Consider using alternative milks

If you want to try something new in your coffee and help the environment, try switching to non-dairy milk. More and more people are experimenting with milk alternatives these days and with so many to choose from, now could be the ideal time to join them.

Whether it's soy, oat, almond or coconut, there's a non-dairy milk for everyone, so don't be afraid to try as many as possible. As well as bringing subtle new flavours to your coffee, you'll also be doing the planet a favour by making the switch - each glass of dairy milk produces almost three times more greenhouse gas than any plant-based alternative, making them far better for the environment.

Try some new drinks

Trying something new is great fun and hugely rewarding but don't worry, we're not suggesting you need to go skydiving to make the most of 2022 - just order some hot drinks you've never tried before!

From coffees flavoured with sugar-free syrups like caramel, vanilla or hazelnut, to luxury hot chocolates, your new favourite drink is just waiting to be discovered. At Cafe2U, our Winter Warmers range is available now and includes:

• the gingerbread latte - blended with biscuity tones and ginger for a delicious, warming, winter flavour.

• the Irish cream hot chocolate - irish cream flavours mixed with chocolate and topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce.

• the Toblerone cappuccino - our classic espresso blended with almond, vanilla and chocolate syrups for a fantastic new year's treat.

• the Toffee hot chocolate - hot chocolate blended with vanilla, toffee and caramel. For those with a sweet tooth!

• the Ferrero Rocher latte - a delicious latte blended with hazelnut and chocolate syrups for a classic seasonal flavour.

Contact your nearest van here to find out which limited edition drinks they have in stock.

Recycle your coffee grounds

Did you know your used coffee grounds are recyclable? That's right, once you've brewed a batch of coffee, you can reuse the grounds in several ways, such as:

• as a pest repellant. Simply sprinkle the grounds in your garden to keep slugs and snails at bay.

• as a fertiliser. Adding used grounds to your soil will improve drainage and water retention, helping plants thrive.

• to help your compost heap. Used coffee grounds are an excellent source of nitrogen, which improves soil structure, giving your compost heap a shot in the arm.

• as an air freshener for your fridge. Yep, placing a bowl of used grounds in your fridge will improve the smell as the grounds absorb any lingering odours.

Better still, recycling your used grounds instead of simply throwing them away benefits the environment as it reduces the number of items being sent to landfill or to be incinerated, both of which increase the amount of harmful greenhouse gases that are produced. It's a win-win!

Say 'goodbye' to disposable cups

One of the best resolutions coffee drinkers can have is to ditch disposable cups. 

According to a report from The Guardian, Britain goes through approximately 2.5 billion disposable cups each year, with most ending up in landfill and far too many ending up as litter. To start your new year off on the right foot, why not invest in a reusable coffee cup and do your bit to ensure that, when it comes to climate change, the coffee industry is part of the solution and not part of the problem?

Spread the coffee gospel

We all know someone that doesn't like coffee. Well the time has come to go forth and change that heathen's mind!

This year, why not make it your goal to take a non-coffee drinking friend out for a good quality brew? Cappuccinos and lattes are perfect 'entry level' coffees for non-believers, while flavoured coffees are also a safe bet. Let's face it, if the drinks are on you, they're unlikely to turn you down, so get out there and start converting!

Happy New Year from Cafe2U!

While nobody can predict what the future has in store for any of us, here's hoping the next 12 months are as positive and stress-free as possible. We'll be doing everything we can to spread some joy in the new year and we can't wait to see you all out and about in 2022.

Why a Coffee Van Franchise Could be Right for You in 2022

In the UK, 620,000 people are employed within franchising and, with 97% of franchisees turning a profit, there is every reason to think that that number will increase next year. 

But profitability is just one of the reasons that make the industry such an excellent option for people considering a career change over the next 12 months. Here, we've taken a look at some of the others.

The opportunity to become your own boss...

In the UK, forms of work such as the gig economy and zero-hours working have become more common than ever. However, following the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, people are increasingly on the lookout for jobs that offer them the opportunity to take control of their own work destiny and becoming a franchisee does precisely that, making the franchising industry an attractive proposition in 2022.

Franchisees are essentially self-employed, so becoming one gives you the autonomy to make your own decisions on a huge variety of issues, including where, when and for how long you work each week, giving you a flexible job that fits in with your lifestyle and improves your work/life balance. With working from home now the 'new normal', running a business that can adapt to different locations and settings is a great idea and one that is likely to see the franchising industry continue to flourish over the coming months.

If you've ever dreamed of being your own boss, becoming a franchisee will make that dream come true.

...and do it quickly!

If you want to get a new business off the ground in a hurry, franchising is the answer to your prayers.

Typically, becoming a franchisee is a simple process that involves an interview between the franchisor and franchisee to ensure suitability, the drawing up and signing of a contract, buying into the franchise and then training for the new role, which may only take a few weeks. After that, you're up and running.

With people keen to put 2020 and 2021 behind them as soon as possible, the quick process involved in joining a franchise is likely to see people taking the plunge in large numbers over the coming months.

Franchising is a low risk industry

People who want to run their own business have seen their ambitions restrained by Covid-19 over the last couple of years, with everything from going to the shops to changing jobs carrying with it a significant degree of risk.

One thing bucking that trend is the franchising industry; 97% of UK-based franchisees currently run in profit, with fewer than 1% of franchisors closing due to commercial failure. Compare that to the fact that only 40% of new businesses in the UK survive more than three years and it's not hard to see why the industry is so popular.

Becoming a franchisee increases your chance at succeeding because your customers are usually already aware of your brand and its reputation (which, hopefully, will be positive). It also brings with it an established customer base that would otherwise take years to establish, saving you both time and money on costly promotional activity designed to raise brand awareness.

With many people currently more risk-averse than ever, the low risk involved with becoming a franchisee is another reason the industry should perform well in 2022.

Profitability

As we've already mentioned, the franchising industry is a profitable one but 'profitable' could be an understatement. Consistently good performances will see your income increase as a direct result, making your earning potential as big as you make it.

With many people's finances in need of a shot in the arm after two years of economic uncertainty, the franchising industry is a likely destination for many people looking for a new challenge in the new year.

Could a Cafe2U franchise be right for you?

At Cafe2U, we have a network of circa 100 franchise partners, with new franchisees joining every single month. If you're interested in becoming the owner of a mobile coffee franchise and a qualified barista operating in your own exclusive area, you can find out more about our franchise opportunities here. 

As well as receiving a Mercedes-Benz Vito premium van, we'll also supply you with everything you need to get your business off the ground, from training and equipment to ongoing support and advice on marketing. What are you waiting for?!

10 Creative Ways to Reuse Old Coffee Grounds

It’s always good to recycle, but did you know your old coffee grounds could have a number of other uses?

As ​coffee experts​, we’ve put together this article to show you how coffee grounds can help you around the house with everything from cleaning your clothes to sorting bad smells.

Take a peek into the list below and find out why you will never throw your old coffee grounds away again!

#1 Neutralising odours

Coffee grounds contain nitrogen, which helps eliminate foul-smelling sulfur gas from the air when it’s combined with carbon. That basically means that coffee can help absorb and get rid of the bad odours.

This can make the foods in your fridge smell better and neutralise the odours - just place a bowl of coffee grounds in your fridge or freezer, this should solve the problem of bad smelling foods.

One of the most creative uses of the coffee grounds is creating DIY air fresheners. You can fill old socks with the coffee grounds and tie them off to make portable air fresheners!

#2 Helping remove dirt

Place a few teaspoons of grounds on a thin cleaning rag and use to scour away grease and grime. Just make sure not to use it on ceramic or other dishes that stain easily.

Coffee grounds can also be used as an abrasive cleaner - they can help sanitise and remove buildup on sinks, cookware, grills and other surfaces around the house!

#3 Tenderise your meat

Coffee contains natural acids and enzymes, making it especially effective at tenderising meat. It's those acidic tones of coffee that go well with the savoury flavours of meat.

The reason why coffee is great for BBQ, whether ground or brewed, is because it acts like a spice.

#4 Freshen your clothes

What you need to do is add a fresh pot of coffee and its grounds into your load of brown washing - make sure it’s dark colours only.

The coffee will help stain materials and keep dark colours looking fantastic!

#5 Clear up acne

Coffee is known to treat acne as it can exfoliate the skin. Caffeine in the coffee can tighten skin, smooth puffiness, fight free radicals and help fight cellulite and acne. It firms the skin thereby reducing the cellulite and plumps your skin, adding a healthy glow to it.

So fear not if you struggle with acne, coffee grounds could be your solution to clearer skin!

#6 Remove build up from your hair

As mentioned earlier coffee helps exfoliate your skin, massaging coffee grounds into your scalp while in the shower will help remove product build-up and help stimulate hair growth.

So next time you’re in the shower make sure you have your coffee grounds equipped and ready!

#7 Keeps your pets safe

After washing your cats and dogs, you can add one or two cups of coffee grounds into their fur - make sure you rinse afterwards. This will help kill fleas and make your animals fur soft and smooth.

Importantly though make sure your pet doesn’t eat the coffee grounds - as caffeine can be dangerous to animals!

#8 Clean your fireplace

While coffee grounds won’t do all the work when cleaning your fireplace they sure will help!

Scatter the used coffee grounds over the ashes to weigh them down and prevent the huge clouds of smoke that often arise when performing this tricky task. Sprinkle a layer of damp grounds over the ashes before sweeping them up.

#9 Repel insects and pests from your garden

Coffee grounds can help repel mosquitos and other annoying insects such as wasps and bees. Coffee grounds contain a strong smell but it's even stronger when they are burned - this smell can help keep pets away.

#10 Fertilise your garden

Mix your old grounds with dead grass clippings, brown leaves, or dry straw to neutralise some of the acidity, then spread them around your plants.

Do you have any other tips for reusing coffee grounds? Be sure to let us know on our social channels!