Q&A: Does Coffee Republic Franchise in the UK?

Alice Tuffery, writer

Published at 23/04/2019, Updated on 04/05/2022 , Reading time: 5 min

Q&A: Does Coffee Republic Franchise in the UK? — Photo © Coffee_Republic.jpg

Do you dream of opening your own coffee shop business? If so, you might be interested in joining a franchise in the food service industry. Here, we look at whether there are Coffee Republic franchise opportunities.

Brits drink a combined total of around 70 million cups of coffee and 165 million cups of tea every day (Gimoka). Our love of a hot beverage makes the coffee shop sector highly successful; in fact, it’s set to be worth £13 billion by 2022 (Allegra World Coffee Portal).

What’s more, the industry is growing, as experts say coffee shops will outnumber pubs in the UK by 2030. With this in mind, investing in a coffee shop franchise could be a savvy move. While setting up your own cafe can be fairly risky, paying to operate under a recognised brand with an established customer base and proven business model is much safer.

Does Coffee Republic franchise?

Yes! You’ve probably seen Coffee Republic franchise units across the UK, providing steaming hot drinks and tasty snacks to grateful customers. Keep reading to find out more about the coffee shop franchise’s investment opportunity. We cover its investment requirements and run through the training and support it offers its franchisees.

History of Coffee Republic

Coffee Republic has been in operation since 1995. The UK-based coffee bar and deli franchise was founded in South Molton Street, London, and now has a network of store locations across the globe.

Within Coffee Republic’s first five years, the brand launched 61 coffee ‘bars’ in the UK. In 2004, it introduced its Deli concept, offering a menu of food options made on-site every day.

By the mid-2000s, demand for Coffee Republic’s delicious products had grown significantly. 2005 saw the launch of the brand’s franchise programme, enabling business partners to open more stores in their local territories. The following year, the company introduced a wholesale division to keep up with customer demand.

Just one year later, in 2007, Coffee Republic opened its first international location. And in 2011, it was named “by far the best of the high street brands” by The Evening Standard. More recently, in 2018, it announced its intention to be single-use plastic free by the end of the decade, reflecting consumer concerns about sustainability.

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Today, the Coffee Republic franchise runs 30 high street coffee bars across the UK and 18 sites in countries including Spain, Bahrain, Oman and Qatar. UK locations cover the length and breadth of the UK, from Glasgow to Cornwall Airport - and there are more bars currently in development.

The franchise has developed an extensive menu to suit even the fussiest customer. There’s a large range of hot and iced drinks on offer, including teas, hot chocolates, chia lattes, iced teas, fruit freezers, milkshakes and, of course, coffee. There’s also a lengthy food menu, with everything from hot breakfasts and sandwiches to pastries and yoghurt pots.

Coffee Republic is proud to have a team of highly-skilled and knowledgeable baristas across its stores. Also, every batch of Italian roast coffee is inspected and tasted by its ‘Master Roaster’ to make sure customers only get the finest blends. Coffee Republic’s drinks are characterised by their full-bodied espresso flavour created by blending a carefully selected range of coffee beans.

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Starting a Coffee Republic franchise unit

Becoming a Coffee Republic franchisee

Coffee Republic is on the lookout for savvy entrepreneurs who are passionate about the brand and looking to operate a single or multi-site business. If you have a positive attitude and are dedicated to making your business a success, the Coffee Republic franchise encourages you to apply - even if you don’t have industry experience.

How much you need to invest

There isn’t any information on the Coffee Republic franchise website about potential costs and fees. However, other websites list a minimum investment of £80,000, and a maximum investment of £250,000, including a franchise fee of £17,500. Head to the Coffee Republic website for further information or to make an online franchise enquiry.

What you get for your investment

When you decide to become a Coffee Republic franchisee, you will be given ongoing training and support by sector experts. The coaching scheme will cover customer service, profit management, sales analysis, becoming a barista, best use of Point of Sale and promotions.

You’ll also get help with finding the perfect location, thanks to Coffee Republic’s affiliations with real estate agents. And you can rely on financial support through one of the franchise’s banking partners. Plus, the Coffee Republic franchise offers PR and marketing support in the form of promotional initiatives to help entice new customers.

If you’re interested in becoming a Coffee Republic franchisee, you can learn more about the investment opportunity at one of the brand’s ‘Franchise Discovery Events’. These sessions are held at the business’s head office in London, and once you’re there, you can meet its Head of Franchising. Many would-be franchisees find these events useful as it provides a chance to discuss investment costs and potential earnings in more detail.

Become a coffee shop owner with a lucrative franchise

If the Coffee Republic franchise model isn’t quite right for you, don’t worry. There are lots of other coffee shop investment opportunities out there for savvy entrepreneurs. In fact, they cover a whole range of different sub-sectors, from coffee shops and donut franchises to coffee vans. Just click on the links to find out more.

Or, if you’re after something a bit different, why not take a look at our bubble tea franchise opportunities? These growing businesses sell the tempting Taiwanese drink to an increasingly large UK customer base.