Columbus Coffee - Working Together Works!

When Columbus Coffee appointed Jayson Hayde as the new franchisee for their flagship store at Smales Farm in Takapuna, they gained a very experienced operator. Jayson’s family was among the earliest McDonald’s franchisees in New Zealand and, as he says, ‘I began by emptying rubbish bins and ended up running several of the family-owned outlets. When we sold up after twenty years, I started to look for a new business.

‘I’m based in Takapuna, which has about 80 restaurants and cafés, and I thought Smales Farm was an ideal location: the new development just outside the traditional trading areas offered the opportunity for something special. Coincidentally, Columbus Coffee also had an eye on the same site and as I was a frequent customer at one of their other cafés I could see the fit. That’s been the great part of my relationship with Columbus since I started – we’ve always been on the same page.’

Jayson and wife Adriana opened their new Columbus Coffee outlet towards the end of 2007 and it soon became a great success. ‘We are both passionate about coffee, food and wine and we enjoy offering a wide range in our café,’ says Jayson. ‘We love to interact with our customers and we like the ability Columbus has given us to use our flair and entrepreneurialism to grow and achieve more.’

It’s that continual pursuit of excellence that earned Columbus Coffee the title of Supreme Franchise System of the Year at the annual Westpac New Zealand Franchise Awards in 2009/10. ‘Winning the top award proved the quality of our NZ born-and-bred franchise system, as well as demonstrating that Columbus Coffee is about more than just fantastic coffee and food,’ says managing director Graeme Tait. ‘Customers come to us for the experience, too, and good service and comfortable ambience are key to our growth. Jayson and Adriana have done a fantastic job at Smales Farm to deliver the brand experience as it should be. Jayson contributes to the wider group as well, being a member of our National Franchise Advisory Council and closely involved with our strategic initiatives. New franchisees can learn a lot from such a seasoned operator.’

In fact, Columbus Coffee uses Smales Farm for practical in-store training experience for new franchisees, in conjunction with its Auckland training centre. ‘Our café is bigger than most of the others in the group so there is ample room to accommodate people for training,’ Jayson explains. ‘We have five groups of franchisees coming in during the remainder of this year, as well as hosting the Columbus Coffee barista competition. The franchise has grown rapidly in the past few years and there are now 30 cafés throughout the country so it’s important to maintain a consistent approach through all the outlets and keep our customers happy.’ 

A Columbus Coffee café costs between $300,000 and $400,000 to establish, but it takes more than money to be granted a franchise. ‘When I was first interviewed by Graeme, he asked me how I would cope with a ten-hour-a-day, seven day business,’ recalls Jayson. ‘I was able to point out I was used to 24 hours most days, so it didn’t scare me! It is a business that requires commitment though, and the keys to success are to enjoy hospitality and have well-trained staff who serve with a smile. It is not a lifestyle business, and I’d encourage anyone to visit us and learn how it works before making the commitment.

‘For Adriana and me, our Columbus Coffee business is a fantastic journey that has exceeded our expectations on many levels. I think we have found a group that is leading the field in New Zealand: innovative, always searching for new ways to do things and very open to suggestions and ideas. If you have the energy and enthusiasm to succeed, do what I did and give Nathan Bonney a call at Columbus.’

This advertorial is taken from Franchise New Zealand magazine Volume 19 Issue 3 

Contact details for Columbus Coffee

For more information and advice on buying a franchise get your FREE copy of Franchise New Zealand magazine. 

We welcome links from other websites to this article. Please note that this article is copyright © Franchise NZ Marketing Limited, Franchise New Zealand magazine and Franchise New Zealand On Line. While it may be downloaded for personal use, no part may be reproduced on any other website, in electronic or printed form or in any other form whatsoever.