Founded in Australia in 2003, Break Coffee Co. elevated break room coffee with its B2B model. Franchise owners provide offices and venues with luxury coffee machines, weekly shipments of freshly roasted beans and regular machine maintenance. By Kelsi Trinidad
Founded in Australia in 2003, Break Coffee Co. elevated break room coffee with its B2B model. Franchise owners provide offices and venues with luxury coffee machines, weekly shipments of freshly roasted beans and regular machine maintenance.
“The goal is: ‘Hey, how can we make people feel like they’re at a Blue Bottle while sitting at their desk,’” explained CEO JD DeYonker.
Formerly known as Xpresso Delight, the company sold more than 200 units internationally, before breaking into the U.S. market in 2018. It now has franchisees in nine markets, largely on the East Coast, and is expanding its national footprint, with a new territory opening in Boise in August and more expected by year-end
The Break Coffee Co. franchise model looks more like a recurring service business than a traditional coffee shop; there’s low overhead with no brick-and-mortar location needed and sticky recurring monthly revenue from commercial clients.
The company’s premium espresso coffee also keeps its clients loyal. Staff no longer need to leave the building for a quality cup of coffee – it’s right in the break room. It’s a workplace perk few are eager to give up.
“Owning a successful Break Coffee Co. franchise is about building relationships with decision-makers at scale and educating them about the benefits of having a great coffee experience for teams and guests,” DeYonker said. “Our franchise owners do a great job at both.”
The corporate team begins marketing for new franchisees before they return home from training in New Jersey and sends team members to support initial installations. Franchisees receive hands-on training in all aspects of the business – from sales and marketing to bookkeeping and supply chain management. The corporate team also stays closely connected with franchisees to grow their businesses.
“We’re trying to build a good franchise for the franchise owners. When they win, everyone wins,” said DeYonker, adding that the most rewarding part of his job is working with franchisees.
“I quickly fell in love with the model. The ability to build durable revenue streams with commercial clients around something everyone loves – coffee – makes it so interesting,” he said. “The second part is working hand in hand with these entrepreneurs who are investing not just money but their livelihoods.”
Kelsi Trinidad