By Joe Farkus, NDG Contributing Writer
California-based coffee chain Gloria Jean’s Coffees is planning to open a number of new stores in the Dallas market, bringing employment and franchise opportunities to DFW as well as its unique brand of beverages. The brand is currently considered one of the premier flavored and specialty coffee outlets in the country.
Founded in 1979 by Gloria Jean Kvetko in a town on the outskirts of Chicago with the intention of taking advantage of a market lacking specialty coffees, it quickly grew and by 1986 began to provide franchise opportunities. In 2014, the brand was acquired by Australia’s largest multi-brand food franchisor Retail Food Group (RFG), creating new possibilities for growth. Dallas happens to be one of the many markets the brand hopes to establish new roots in.
“[Dallas] is a thriving economy,” Laina Sullivan, Director of Development for RFG in the U.S., told the North Dallas Gazette. “[It has] very strong demographics, prosperous communities, strong retail activity, great consumer demand for coffee…all those things are a dream come true to a tenant that’s expanding.”
The company sources 100 percent of its coffees directly from locations all over the world. Every bean gathered is then roasted at the company’s California facility and delivered to Gloria Jean’s coffee houses all over the United States and abroad. And though the coffee brand has seen massive expansion in the past several years, it pairs that desire for growth with an intention to bring back the feel of local community coffee houses.
“We really like to get involved in our communities,” Sullivan added. “We encourage our customers to feel like they have ownership of their coffee shop.”
With nearly 900 locations, the overwhelmingly majority of which currently reside inside shopping malls, the company is looking to open new street-front coffee houses in addition to the mail-based models – some even with drive through options. Stores employ an estimated 10-14 people depending on each individual location’s hours of operation.
The brand estimates a timeline of three to five years for the expansion, possibly longer depending on the availability of retail. Discussions with prospective franchisees have already begun, but the brand is still looking for qualified candidates to partner with them in their mission of bringing its unique flavors to Dallas.
More information on the Gloria Jean’s Coffees can be found here.
