Passion pays off. Our Jamaica Blue franchisee Co Vinh La – known as Co La – took home the 2023 Multi-Unit Franchise of the Year award at the Franchise Council of Australia awards in WA!
This amazing moment reflects Co La’s entrepreneurial mindset and hard work in running three successful sites in WA.
With a background in hospitality, Co La relocated to Perth in 2018 in search of his own business and a franchise opportunity. Co La was impressed not only by the quality of Jamaica Blue’s award-winning product, but by the level of training and ongoing support offered.
A Man With a Mission
Thanks to his dedication, Co La accelerated quickly and now owns three busy Jamaica Blue stores in Perth. He opened Jamaica Blue Livingston in 2018, Forest Lakes in 2019 and Kardinya in 2021. He says that winning the Multi-Unit Franchise of the Year award was a huge moment for him.
“I had mixed feelings that night! I was a bit nervous. It was the first time in my franchise career to be at the biggest awards from the FCA.”
“Then there was the excitement. When my name was announced…I don’t know how to describe it! I was so happy. All the hard work – with my staff, family and the Foodco team – have been recognised by the FCA.”
It’s a busy life and a true family affair. Typically, Co La bases himself at one store, while his sister and sister-in-law take charge of the other two. His sister-in-law also does the bookkeeping to cut down on costs. Co La uses his evenings to take care of administration tasks such as budgeting, rostering, ordering and forecasting.
This award is great recognition for Co La – who is a franchisee who consistently goes above and beyond across all areas of his businesses This gong reflects Co La’s immense dedication, the exceptional business performance of his three stores, and use of Jamaica Blue systems and innovation.
Exceptional Business Performance
Co La exceeded sales growth targets across all three of his Jamaica Blue franchises, demonstrating consistent financial growth.
“I think the judges were impressed by the great performance across all three stores during challenging times.”
“We all know that in 2023 everything seemed to be back to pre-Covid levels and sales should’ve strongly bounced back – but we also had inflation going through the roof! This was the biggest challenge in improving sales, when customers started tightening their budgets.”
He has also implemented strategies to enhance operational performance, staff retention, loyalty programs, and customer satisfaction, ensuring holistic business success beyond just financial metrics.
Harnessing Foodco Systems With Innovation
The judges were impressed by Co La’s commitment to improving profitability through innovative strategies, plus implementation of the Foodco systems and rigorous monitoring. For example, he was selected to trial a Franchisor initiative to create additional revenue streams with a “dark kitchen” concept, which was delivered through local online aggregators like Uber Eats. This resulted in significant additional revenue for the stores.
He also deployed new menus from Foodco quickly and effectively, testing popular dishes and comprehensively training staff in delivery.
Community Engagement
“I think the judges were impressed not only by the financial performance of the stores, but also how I integrated them with the local community,” says Co La.
All three of Co La’s sites are actively engaged with the local community through initiatives such as workplace student training, supporting local clubs and charities, and participating in fundraising events.
“My stores all take part in helping the community, where it is needed most. This includes giving away vouchers for local businesses to give to clients, or a food donation for the church, or supporting high school students to do their work placement in the store.”
Investment in His People
Co La has trained up a young, diverse team across his three stores, focusing on creating a friendly, warm culture. As a result, his staff retention rates are high. With comprehensive training from Foodco – including accredited barista and food safety training – Co La also uses incentives to foster a culture of continuous improvement and recognition.
“Great customer service means loving your job, understanding what customers need and quickly delivering it, as well as being friendly and knowing people by name.”
Reach for the Stars With Jamaica Blue!
Co La says that Jamaica Blue has given him a framework for success.
“Some people think about the negatives of franchises. For example, they concentrate on marketing fees and costs. Yet in reality, franchise support and training gives you a huge advantage.”
If you’ve always dreamed of your own café business, now is the time. It’s hard work – but the Fooco team will be behind you every step of the way! We’re also giving new franchisees a $40K boost when they purchase a Jamaica Blue before 30 June 2024, to help your cafédreams take off.
Enquire now or view current opportunities with Jamaica Blue.
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