Taking an artisanal, coffee shop international while preserving the homely, community ambience is a near-impossible feat, but it’s one which which Grerenberry’s Coffee Co has pulled off
Aromas of small batch, hand-roasted coffee and freshly-baked scones invite our guests into the warm and comfortable ambiance of Greenberry’s Coffee Co. Not just another coffee shop, but a special oasis of genuine hospitality, premium Arabica coffee and delicious fresh food prepared on-site each day. It’s no surprise that our discerning guests visit us on a regular basis, and frequently bring their friends. Welcome to Greenberry’s!
Sean and Roxanne Simmons, the husband and wife duo behind Greenberry’s Coffee, wanted to bring a higher quality of coffee to the public from the very start. After years in the corporate world, they decided to learn the heart and soul of coffee from Alfred Peet, the pioneer who first brought high-end coffee to America in the 1960s. From that knowledge grew Greenberry’s Coffee, named after Sean’s ancestor who exhibited the same dedication to hard work and quality that they wanted to bring to the coffee world.
After moving to Charlottesville, Virginia in 1991 and getting married at the historic University of Virginia Chapel, they decided to open their first store a few yards away off University Avenue in 1992.
They wanted to create a home away from home atmosphere, building out the store with real wood and slate, a departure from the plastic furnishings that were popular at the time. Not content with just serving the student community, they opened another location in an old shoe repair store in the heart of town. It quickly became a community meeting place, serving the town as a social hub and source for high-end, specialty coffees, a rarity at the time. The store became so popular, the door hinges had to replaced twice a year!
Sean roasted the coffee himself in a small warehouse nearby while Roxanne delivered to local restaurants and cafes in their tiny two-door jalopy. They insisted on roasting the coffee by hand themselves so they could control all aspects of quality – from green bean sourcing, to roasting and serving to their customers. Still in operation, Greenberry’s Coffee in Barracks Road still serves many of the same customers that came in the very first day.
Now with over 20 years of coffee roasting experience and a broad range of food servicesolutions, Greenberry’s Coffee has expanded regionally and internationally. Maintaining the home-away-from-home feel of the stores has kept the atmosphere consistent through a variety of locations and markets, bringing the charm of Greenberry’s to our guests across the globe. Our mission continues to bring Greenberry’s to more countries and consumers desiring a differentiated, high-end coffee and light meal experience. After all, something as enjoyable as Greenberry’s should be shared.
Every Greenberry’s Coffee, whether in Virginia, Japan or Saudi Arabia, has an individual, local ambiance, yet is supported by a franchise network with proven systems and procedures. Through this network, we offer the highest quality coffees and teas from all over the world, delicious pastries baked on-site daily, and an extensive food program developed by our in-house executive chef. Our warm, inviting atmosphere provides a welcoming “home away from home” for our customers to enjoy.
We take the same diligent care in working with our International Master Franchisees as we do with our coffee, food and hospitality. We are here every step of the way to ensure our Master Franchisees are always on the right path for success. Our Master Franchisees and their teams are guided through the proprietary Greenberry’s process. Training is held at our home office in Charlottesville, Virginia and follows our step-by-step guide to opening and running your first Greenberry’s, including assistance in product sourcing and vendor negotiations. We assist in finding the perfect location, guiding our franchisees through construction and design, and provide training in all areas of owning and operating Greenberry’s Coffee Shops.
After opening your first Greenberry’s, you will receive on-going consulting in key areas such as marketing, social media, cash-flow analysis, customer relations and day-to-day operations. Our support team is available to answer your questions at any time.
Our approach in developing new markets is collaborative, flexible and relationship oriented with our like-minded Master Franchisees. We value the differences in markets and cultures around the world and collaborate with our Master Franchisees in navigating the course to their success. We have demonstrated this in markets and cultures as different as Japan and Saudi Arabia, and look forward to collaborating for success in selected markets with new Master Franchisees.
This flexibility is a strength and advantage of the Greenberry’s brand and management, and is also demonstrated by our different size units positioned in a variety of locations – conventional retail, shopping centres, universities, hospitals, naval base, and coming soon to the U.S. Library of Congress.
We understand from our own experience that rewarding success can come from either regional or national development. The most important factor is to work with the right business partners as Master Franchisees. Therefore, we are prepared to work with Master Franchisees with a regional or national vision for success.
Likewise, we understand that our Master Franchisees may prefer their own insightful strategies regarding development via Master Franchisee-owned shops and sub-franchising in their exclusive territory. Our Master Franchise model allows for flexibility. We believe the most important factor is to agree on a shared vision with the right partner and work together to achieve this success.
We invite you to contact us to discuss your vision for success in your country. Please contact us at rshaw@greenberrys.com. We look forward to meeting you soon.
AT A GLANCE
Name of franchise: Greenberry’s Coffee Co.
Established: 1992
Location of units: USA, Japan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar (opening soon)
Investment range: US $175,000 – 350,000 per unit in the USA. Master Franchise rights investments are additional and scalable to the exclusive territory.
Minimum required capital: US $750,000 to 1 million estimated start-up capital for the Master Franchise business and first units over the first two to three years.
URL: www.greenberrys.com
Contact: Tobert Shaw, Sr. Vice President of International Development – email: rshaw@greenberrys.com
