Established Coffee Brand Unveils Enhanced Development Plan Focused on West Coast Franchise Growth
It’s A Grind, the neighborhood coffee house destination featuring world-class coffee, espresso and iced blended beverage creations, will launch an aggressive push for new market share in Q2 2017 in its established home state of California. The brand, known for its many distinctive varieties of high-quality coffee, is excited to be part of a renewed interest in community based, unpretentious coffee houses as it searches for driven, entrepreneurial franchise partners to join its push for growth in The Golden State.
Founded in 1994 in Long Beach, Calif., It’s A Grind’s mission is to provide high-quality signature coffee, espresso beverages and delicious food offerings in a comfortable and locally-focused atmosphere. With eighteen locations across three states and eight international locations, It’s A Grind has strong brand recognition and a loyal customer base, priding itself on top notch customer service and an exceptional experience. At It’s A Grind the customer is recognized by his or her first name, rather than a “non-fat latte.” The regular and loyal customers have taken the brand to new heights with store sales strong and up the past three fiscal years. Now part of the Retail Food Group (RFG), a dominant global force in the franchise industry with more than 2,500 units worldwide, It’s A Grind is poised to expand rapidly, starting in its home state.
“It’s A Grind is bringing back the nostalgic feeling of coffee house comfort,” said Brian Balconi, President of Retail Food Group USA, parent company of It’s A Grind. “With comfortable seating, a cozy atmosphere, an eclectic blend of music and the familiar aroma of brewing coffee and espresso, we serve a reminder of why the original coffee house concept took off in the 1990’s: there’s no pretention, no complicated drink names that you can’t pronounce and no pressure to finish your coffee and be on your way. The vibe at It’s A Grind encourages people to make themselves at home and we’re eager to bring it to new communities across California.”
As a shooting location featured in the intro sequence of the hit Showtime TV drama Weeds, It’s A Grind became a cultural phenomenon across California in the mid-2000’s. Many customers familiar with the brand, first visited out of curiosity, but remained loyal customers because of the one thing that matters most: It’s A Grind’s signature coffee. Famous for its high-quality Arabica coffee beans, It’s A Grind sources its coffee from around the globe, then roasts each batch in Southern California, ensuring consistently fresh, smooth and flavorful coffee. It’s A Grind locations offer several different freshly brewed coffee roasts to choose from each day.
“We offer a distinct, neighborhood feeling at each of our coffee houses, and each one has its own individual character. It’s A Grind captures the independent coffee house culture, while also maintaining the integrity of the coffee that made our brand famous. We are not just a coffee house, but a unique community within four walls. We are searching for driven, community-minded franchisees who want to live out the dream of owning that community coffee house destination,” Balconi said.
It’s A Grind is offering a one-of-a-kind franchise opportunity with targeted expansion plans throughout The Golden State, focusing first on Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego and Sacramento metro areas, as well as select markets across the rest of the west coast.
“My wife and I always wanted to open a coffee house,” said Dennis Yagen, an It’s A Grind franchisee for the last 11 years. “With It’s A Grind, you are the business owner, but with the backing of a brand that supports you. It’s A Grind’s culture has allowed us to leverage a great concept and build it into a community gathering place. The franchise support team provides a proven business model for operating a coffee house, so the franchisee is put in a position for rapid growth. We are thrilled to grow with the brand as it expands even further across California.”
It’s A Grind Coffee House is a neighborhood destination serving high quality signature coffee in a comfortable, relaxed atmosphere. Founded in 1994, It’s A Grind Coffee House serves several different blends of specialty coffee, roasted in Southern California and brewed fresh each day. Each location also serves espresso beverages, iced blended coffee creations, freshly made breakfast sandwiches and a variety of foods at all times throughout the day. Retail Food Group Ltd. (RFG), one of the world’s largest multi-brand retail food franchisors and leading wholesale coffee roasters, acquired It’s A Grind Coffee House in 2014 with plans to grow the brand through franchising. The brand currently has 18 locations in the U.S. and eight internationally. For more information on It’s A Grind Coffee House, visit www.itsagrind.com. To inquire about franchise opportunities, visit www.ownanitsagrind.com.
