101CAFFE’ – a community of entrepreneurs who play as a team and grow together

101CAFFE’ is a 101% Made in Italy network with more than 120 franchising stores, specialized in coffee and drinks for all coffee makers. It is also a community of entrepreneurs who grow up together and who have faced this pandemic thanks to their strengths and teamwork.

We share the interview released by Umberto Gonnella, CEO of 101CAFFE’ and guest of the well-known journalist and publisher Piero Muscari during the program “Un Caffè che Vale”, sponsored by 101CAFFE’.

If you are thinking to open a 101CAFFE’ store, watch the video to understand the concrete advantages of running a business, without starting from scratch, joining a solid and structured network.

In this video Umberto Gonnella focuses in particular on the importance for Italian entrepreneurs of doing business together and on the value of the franchising model, which today represents a real antidote to the economic crisis we are experiencing.

We hope that this episode of “Un Caffè che Vale” was useful, as the soundtrack of the program states, to “give you that extra edge!” That we all need today ?☕

Below we explore some important aspects to understand the true meaning of playing as a team for 101CAFFE’.

101CAFFE’ franchises: entrepreneurs “with an umbrella”

Among the more than 120 units of 101CAFFE’ there are franchisees who have just joined the team and some who have been part of it for several years, since 2012, when the first 101CAFFE’ store in franchising was opened.

They are people with different professional backgrounds, from the warehouse worker to the manager, from the housewife to the bar and restaurant manager, but also “serial” entrepreneurs who believe in franchising and invest in it to diversify their portfolio. There are young and old franchises. For some of them 101CAFFE’ is their first job, others have lost their job and have chosen to open a 101CAFFE’ store to start over! Finally, some come from the coffee sector and others have experience in different areas, not necessarily in trade.

These people share an important aspect: they are entrepreneurs “with an umbrella”. They have decided to put their business attitude into practice, with a reduced entrepreneurial risk, relying on the strength of a leading brand in the coffee sector, with an organized network, management tools and advantages that would require too high investments if they opened their shop alone. For example, 101CAFFE’ headquarters periodically proposes, on the most popular channels, national campaigns to bring new customers to the franchises stores. Here is the advertising recently aired on La7 from 20 September to 31 October 2020.

What are the tools you can count on?

Let’s see together what are the main tools that 101CAFFE’ gives to franchises:

• complete and continuous training program that allows you to acquire the necessary skills and the working method in a short time, with excellent results from the first months of activity, even without having previous experience in the coffee sector or in sales
• very wide range of products, 1600 references ready for delivery and guaranteed quality, strictly Made in Italy, with Premium coffee made with blends selected by the best Italian coffee Roasters, as well as drinks in pods and capsules for every taste and compatible with all systems, coffee makers, major brands and much more, with the possibility of ordering without minimum order and giving back unsold items
• agreements with top player suppliers (such as Lavazza, Illy, Nestlè, Bialetti, Venchi, Borbone, etc.)
• modern software for managing the store in all its aspects: reorders, cashiers, stocks, reports, special requests, etc.
• headquarters fast management of any transport damage, relieving franchise from these duties
• possibility of including the administration service, combining retail with take away coffee shop of various sizes, with or without table service
• loyalty programs for customers (101CAFFE’ is part of the PAYBACK circuit, together with Carrefour, Esso, Mondadori and dozens of other well-known brands)
• communication activities to support sales (social media, participation in international events, national advertising that increases the flow to shops, etc.)
• advanced technology that allows you to integrate the physical sales channel with online sales (through 101CAFFE’ website and 101CAFFE’ APP), attributing the marginality of online sales to the store, in compliance with the exclusivity of franchise area.

Respect for roles is a milestone in Franchising

Anyone needs to consider another one point very important in a Franchising system. This is something more than the other advantages we already have seen and this is the respect of the different roles of the franchisor (headquarters) and of the franchises (affiliates) fundamental to create an efficient and working business.
In fact, the headquarters provides franchises with the best tools to work in a comfortable situation, allowing them to focus mainly on sales and on achieving turnover targets. Franchisees, on the other hand, have the very important role of contributing, with their experience “in the field”, to increase the precious know-how that the whole network shares, thus creating a virtuous circle in which their results enhance their brand, and a strong brand brings more customers and growing turnover. Franchisees also have the great responsibility of representing 101CAFFE’ brand in their exclusive territory and the headquarters provides franchisees with guidelines on brand protection, once again for the benefit of all parties involved.

The result of this special relationship of cooperation and trust is very evident from an economic point of view but not only: the value is also perceived regarding the quality of the relationships established over time between franchises and headquarters: “with “older” affiliates I have a consolidated relationship of mutual esteem earned over time, both in the most prosperous and difficult moments. I can say that we grew up together”– says Umberto Gonnella, C.E.O. & Founder of 101CAFFE’ – “We are linked by a very strong bond and by that good feeling of rowing in the same direction” – concludes our Founder.

So what are you waiting for?

Start building your professional future today:  sign up now the free webinar to learn about 101CAFFE’ company, project and team.

We wish you a good view and we remain at your disposal at franchising@101caffe.it to give you all the information you need to join the team with us!