bakery-cafe model

Help Feed Local Food Banks by Sharing Kid-Friendly Go-To Sandwich Creations.

DILLON, Mont. — As back-to-school approaches (K-12), parents have a lot on their plate – concerns over safety, adapting to the new classroom normal, evolving school structure decisions and now stressing over what to serve for lunch, whether in the classroom or the kitchen table at home. Great Harvest Bakery Café owners want to help families scratch off pack lunch from the to-do list, inspire new favorite sandwich ideas and feed families in need.

It’s been almost six months since kids showed off their lunchboxes, so in hopes of bringing some fun and joy back to lunchtime for both kids and parents, Great Harvest Bakery Café has announced The Return of the Lunchbox social share and local charity initiative. This new campaign is a way to engage and spark kids’ creativity, while also giving back to the local community through its charitable aspect. 

From mid-August through the end of September, parents and kids are encouraged to post a photo of their sandwich masterpiece on Facebook or Instagram served on any of the signature Great Harvest loafs of bread. To participate, participants must tag their local Great Harvest location and use the hashtag: #returnofthelunchbox and #LunchboxCity e.g. #LunchboxBoise. In the post, they can share their short list of ingredients and why it is the “go-to” lunch box item.

For every social post, the local Great Harvest will make a bread donation to the local food bank and/or charity of their choice.

“We know that parents, teachers and kids are stressed right now and if there is a small way to bring a smile to a little ones face whether they are eating lunch at school or at home, we want to be a part of that,” said Mike Ferretti, CEO of Great Harvest. “It’s a simple way for parents to see what other fun, sandwich ideas are kid-approved all while helping supporting other families who are in need of bread donations.”

There’s no better way to celebrate National Sandwich Month, than by enjoying a loaf of Great Harvest Bread, made with the world’s finest protein-packed premium wheat and freshly grounded into 100 percent whole grain flour. From PB&J’s served on Cinnamon Chip bread with added bananas, Turkey on Cheddar Garlic, a BLT with signature Sourdough, Salami on Cracked Pepper Parmesan, Roast Beed on Rosemary Garlic to Ham on Oregon Herb – the creative flavor options are endless.

“Better bread makes a difference and we’re excited to see what creative sandwich ideas come from our Great Harvest bread enthusiasts,” Eric Keshin, President and CMO. “When the quality of the bread on the outside of the sandwich is as good as what parents are putting in the inside, families will discover new go-to lunch options.”  

Please visit https://www.greatharvest.com/ to find your nearest location.

With Grocery Store Limits on Select Products, Locals Turn to Made-to-Order Options for Fresh-Baked Bread, Sandwiches, Pastries, Soups and Salads.

DILLON, Mont., March 18, 2020 /PRNewswire/ — With the rise of empty grocery shelves, Great Harvest business owners are able to regulate their made-to-order baking schedule and made-from-scratch commitment to fulfill the communities need for bread and other meal-to-go options.

Since every Great Harvest Bakery Café location bakes from scratch every day, they are able to take orders, plan and bake accordingly to ensure customers get what they for looking for and in the amounts they are requesting. To ensure availability, owners encourage customers to place orders ahead of time and they will work with guests to coordinate the best possible next day pick-up time.

With bread and many other items flying off grocery store shelves, Great Harvest business owners have the capacity to bake as much bread as needed to serve the needs of communities and flexibility to control the amount available. Franchisees are working hard to have orders ready and prepaid to get folks in and out as quickly as possible.

While each bakery café has its own unique menu tailored to the community it serves, all include made-from-scratch bread with daily-milled Montana wheat and a variety of baked goods. Many locations offer a line of delicious sandwiches, soups and salads. Orders can be called in or done online to ensure availability. Some owners are also offering curb-side pickup and delivery through third-party delivery.

Additionally, all locations will be temporarily shifting to offer only in-store pick up until further notice. As always, the company will continue to heavily reinforce rigorous sanitation guidelines in each location.

“Providing a safe environment for our customers and employees while offering necessities such as fresh bread is our top priority,” said Mike Ferretti, CEO of Great Harvest. “Our franchisees want to give people a convenient and local option for freshly-baked bread and made-to-order meals, so customers can take care of their families at home without stressing about the availability of bread and nutritious options.”

Contact your nearest Great Harvest Bakery Café to find out more about the take-out offerings available. Please visit https://www.greatharvest.com/ to find your nearest location.

Leading Bakery Cafe Franchise to Reward Brand Loyalists and Test Convenient Offerings

DILLON, Mont. — Great Harvest Bread Co., the only national brand of independently owned and operated whole grain bread bakeries and a leader in the bakery cafe space, has officially launched its mobile app and introduced online ordering in select locations. Additionally, a few locations will be testing home bread delivery services.

Moving away from the traditional bread card and “baker’s dozen” special, where the 13th loaf is free, 30 Great Harvest bakery cafes are leading the change by ensuring their locations are rewarding and communicating with loyal, repeat customers via email and mobile notifications. The brand expects at least 70 more locations to adopt the mobile rewards program within the next few months.

Great Harvest Bread Co. has drastically evolved over the last two years, going from a bread-centric establishment to a breakfast, lunch and dinner bakery cafe offering cold and off-the-grill sandwiches, breakfast specialties, grain bowls, salads, coffee and more. The mobile app will reward the frequent lunch and breakfast eaters, specialty bread enthusiasts, the sweet-treat lovers and everyone else in between.

The robust mobile app will also allow guests to view their updated reward points with each purchase and can even refer a friend to earn additional points. It will also include a birthday reward offering via the app. Additionally, select locations will offer online ordering and easy-to-order catering through the app.

“From our initial testing prior to launch, we already saw a high redemption rate and the average ticket price increase. We’re encouraged and believe our franchisees who know their customers best will continue to embrace the mobile app for the multiple and mutual benefits,” said Great Harvest Bread Co. CEO Mike Ferretti. “The app allows franchisees to more accurately market and communicate to their repeat customers and gives the fan base what they deserve: easier access to what they love and rewards them for their loyalty.”

Great Harvest does not have a mandated design outside of the high-baking standards and requirement of freshly-milled wheat sourced from trusted Golden Montana Triangle farmers. Each location is a version of Great Harvest that reflects the owner and the local community they serve. Known for being a freedom franchise, each location still has complete control on using the app to localize their marketing efforts with customizable templates. For instance, each location can create its own offering or use the pre-made templates to offer double-point Tuesdays, free cookies and more based on their individual communities’ wants and preferences. The Great Harvest franchise opportunity offers the security of a proven business model while still leaving room for franchisees to make their business their own.

All of this follows the brand’s most recent transformation and introduction to the hub-and-spoke model, designed for major expansion and multi-unit ownership. Existing franchisees and those joining the system can expand strategically and serve as their own supply chain with a central bakery cafe suppling fresh bread through the day to the cafe-only locations in surrounding communities. This approach allows franchisees to physically fit on “Main Street” by opening in high-traffic areas with as little as 1,500 square feet—unlike Panera and other bakery cafe chains that require a large square footage.

Great Harvest bakery cafes may operate as standalone units in a market, or as “hubs,” in conjunction with additional cafes operating as “spokes.” Hubs are full bakery cafes with seating for 40-45 people and have all the handmade bread production on-site. Spokes operate as cafes; they have fresh bread supplied by the hub daily and should be located within 40 minutes of said hub. Their menu is the same as their hub while baking items on-site—like cookies, biscuits, scones, etc.—to maintain the aroma of a bakery.

To learn more about Great Harvest, check out the blog or download the franchise information packet.

The Leading Bakery Cafe Franchise Attends IFE to Tout Revolutionized Expansion Model

DILLON, Mont. — Great Harvest Bread Co., a leader in the bakery cafe space, was named a Top Food Franchise of 2019 by Entrepreneur magazine. Under the “Baked Goods” category, the franchise earned the No. 10 spot, rising two slots up from last year’s ranking.

Over the last two years, Great Harvest has revolutionized its expansion efforts via bakery cafes and hub-and-spoke models—the latter of which many new & existing franchisees across the United States have opted to open. The brand is looking to strengthen its presence in the Northeast as it’s in the process of developing a hub and two-spokes to serve Long Island, N.Y., and a hub with one spoke in Red Bank, N.J., and Asbury Park, N.J. Great Harvest recognizes the high-index suburban areas throughout the Northeast and is actively seeking qualified franchisees to complete the expansion in the metro areas of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania and Philadelphia.

Investors looking to diversify their business portfolio and establish a presence either internationally or in the Northeast with a wholesome franchise can learn more about Great Harvest Bread Co. at the International Franchise Expo in New York City, May 30 – June 1. Learn how this company, located at booth No. 623, built a franchise model that allows multi-unit and multi-brand franchise owners to go where the competition cannot and cover more territory at an unrivaled investment level. A hub-and-spoke model costs about $700K to build out and pulls in, on average, $1.6 million with 17.4 percent EBITDA.

Given the bakery cafe’s customizable design, its modernized franchise model and the brand’s 40-plus years of success, Great Harvest’s influence on the local market level remains unmatched by Panera and other big-name competitors. The local level success of the nearly 200-unit franchise is also due in part to the brand’s promise of milling only fresh wheat in-store sourced from trusted farmers in Montana’s Golden Triangle, largely considered the top spot for agricultural production and ingredient processing.

“The initial response from existing and new franchisees has been supportive and by yearend, we expect to have 33 percent of the system operating through the hub-and-spoke model as operators add their second or third cafes in their respective markets,” said Great Harvest Bread Co. CEO Mike Ferretti.

Unlike other big-box fast casual franchisees, Great Harvest franchisees can out-bake and out-localize the competition in high-traffic areas with as little as 1,500 square feet. With the freedom franchise, each location takes on the look and personality of the demographic around them, keeping the same quality but local atmosphere unique to each bakery cafe. Great Harvest is an investment opportunity that lets the owner decide how turnkey they want the process to be and lets franchisees call their own shots.

To learn more about the Great Harvest hub and spoke model, check out the blog or download the franchise information packet.

Leading Bakery Cafe Franchise Soon to Expand in Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, New York and New Jersey

DILLON, Mont. — Great Harvest Bread Co., a bakery cafe franchise known for serving the finest quality specialty bread, announced today it has signed five franchise agreements with new and existing Great Harvest franchisees. These entrepreneurs will soon be opening and/or expanding in the following markets: Walt and Ellie Legits (Grand Junction, Colo.), Praveen and Prajna Munipalle (Northern Dallas), Nimesh and Natasha Patel (Long Island, N.Y.), Lacey and Brian Loveless (Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Okla.), and Michele Ellis (Red Bank and Asbury Park, N.J.)

Great Harvest’s unique franchise model allows entrepreneurs to choose between owning a single bakery cafe or a cost effective Hub & Spoke model, built for multi-unit owners. The hub and spoke model allows owners to cover more territory and serve as their own supply chain with a central bakery cafe supplying fresh bread throughout the day to the cafe-only locations, in surrounding communities.

“We’re continuing to see franchise owners seek out the hub and spoke model, as it is the most efficient way to out-bake and out-localize the competition in high-traffic areas with as little as 1,500 square feet,” said Great Harvest Bread Chairman and CEO Mike Ferretti. “Additionally, with new Great Harvest locations, each owner is able to make it their own with our freedom franchise, which lets franchisees choose their own design, décor, menu selection and even set their own pricing and localize their marketing efforts.”

Great Harvest knows that cookie cutter franchises are not what communities need. Each of these neighborhoods will soon have a hub or spoke with their own unique style and menu that matches the community’s vibe and desired taste. Great Harvest is an investment opportunity that lets the owner decide how turnkey they want the process to be and lets franchisees call their own shots.

Here is more information about each of the new and existing Great Harvest franchisees:

• Walt and Ellie Legits (Grand Junction, Colo.) – After two years of owning an existing Great Harvest bakery in Grand Junction, they are now in the process of opening their first spoke to expand in the market. They always envisioned growing through the hub and spoke model, which is what initially drew them to the franchise.
• Praveen and Prajna Munipalle (Northern Dallas) – This entrepreneurial couple has joined the Great Harvest franchise with plans to open one hub location and three spoke cafes over the next five years. As a family-owned business, they are looking to diversify and develop a business for their family’s future.
• Nimesh and Natasha Patel (Long Island, N.Y.) – After experiencing Great Harvest for themselves, this husband and wife team fell in love with the product and knew they had to be the first to introduce it to the Long Island market. Over the next several years, they will be opening a bakery cafe hub and two spokes. The couple is diversifying their extensive business portfolio as they own several hotels in New York, Georgia and Florida.
• Lacey and Brian Loveless (Tulsa and Broken Arrow, Okla.) – Looking to move back to Tulsa, the couple has purchased an existing Great Harvest location with plans to open a second spoke in a few years. Coming from the veterinary industry, the Loveless family wanted to utilize the benefits of a franchise system to guide them through their career transition.
• Michele Ellis (Red Bank and Asbury Park, N.J.) – Using her background in consumer marketing and retail development, Ellis is looking forward to putting her own spin on her bakery cafe location over the next few years.

Dubbed “Bread Heaven” by fanatic customers since 1976, Great Harvest bakes bread from scratch with whole grains milled right on the premises. Along with the finest bread around, Great Harvest offers sandwiches, grain bowls, salads, pastries and more to serve up a tasty meal for anytime of the day.

To learn more about the Great Harvest hub and spoke model, check out the blog or download the franchise information packet.

Meet with the Growing Bakery Cafe Franchise at the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference, Booth #300

DILLON, Mont. — Great Harvest Bread Co. seeks qualified multi-unit and multi-brand franchise partners to leverage their model that allows franchise owners to go where the competition cannot and cover more territory at an unmatched investment level.

The nearly 200-location bakery cafe franchise has implemented their new and distinguished hub and spoke expansion model built for the multi-unit business owner. To share how the model gives entrepreneurs a leg up on the competition, Director of Sales Ben Green will be attending the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference on March 24-27 at Caesars Palace Hotel in Las Vegas. Attendees can visit Great Harvest at booth #300.

Aiming to be the only bakery cafe of its kind, Great Harvest is more than just an artisan, specialty bread business. The company’s reputation for providing the most delicious, daily-made bread has now expanded to a diverse menu including grain bowls, salads, sandwiches, soups, desserts, fountain drinks and more. In addition, by adding approximately 35 seats and a public bathroom to its bakery cafes, sales at those locations jumped and sparked the creation of Great Harvest’s hub and spoke growth model.

Bakery cafes are the key element in Great Harvest’s new hub and spoke model, which allows multi-unit owners to go more places with a smaller footprint while reaping the full benefits of both a central bakery cafe and multiple cafe-only locations. The bakery cafe acts as the hub, supplying fresh bread throughout the day to the spokes, or cafe-only locations, in surrounding communities. In two years, nearly 36 percent of the franchise system is leveraging the developed hub and spoke design.

Differentiators at a Glance:

• Great Harvest Bread Co., is as turn key as you want it to be with its unique freedom franchise. Owners are able to set their own pricing, create their own menu items, choose décor that fits their style and market, localize their marketing efforts and more.
• Hub and spoke allows franchisees to go into high-traffic areas with as little as 1,500 square feet, opening cafe doors in downtowns where competitors cannot because of the large amount of space they require.
• The hub and spoke model provides an incomparable investment opportunity that allows someone to own multiple Great Harvest Bread Company locations for the price of a single Panera and dominate more territory.
• Multi-unit franchisees have the ability to become their own supply chain while achieving better quality control and serving a superior product.
• The bakery cafe and hub and spoke model is the best of both worlds, a fresh idea with substantial growth opportunity and 40 years in business, unlike most emerging brands.

Entrepreneurs attending the Multi-Unit Franchising Conference come with expectations to mingle among the best of the best in the industry and want to hear how proven brands have already thought about the future disruptors and what each brand is doing differently to give multi-unit and multi-profile entrepreneurs the tools they need to do what they do best – expand with intention. Great Harvest has just what they’re looking for.