How much are royalties and marketing fees?
Royalties are a Percentage of Gross Revenue, variable based on the number of Seattle’s Best Coffee Units that are committed for development:

• 1-4 units: 7%
• 5-9 units: 6%
• 10+ units: 5%
• Advertising fee is 1% of Gross Revenue per location.

How much does a cafe cost?
$269,035 to $445,035. See Investment information and/or FDD for more details.

When did Seattle’s Best Coffee first offer franchises?
Seattle’s Best Coffee originally began franchising in 1994. A freshly-brewed cup of Seattle's Best Coffee is currently available in more than 40,000 locations including cafes, college campuses, restaurants, hotels, airlines, cruise ships. bookstores, grocery stores and movie theatres.

What are the criteria you will use to select franchisees?
The criteria include:

• Capital to open an agreed upon number of cafes (currently $500,000 net worth with $125,000 liquid assets)
• The commitment to provide hands-on management training for employees and quality service for customers
• Proven capability to run a multi-unit operation
• Capacity and ability to manage expansion throughout the designated territory, demonstrating a depth in experience and strong management team
• If applicable, existing retail businesses in the franchisee’s portfolio that are complementary with the quality of the Seattle’s Best Coffee brand
• The ability of the prospective franchisee to fit within the Seattle’s Best Coffee culture, ensuring a “smooth experience” for its employees, business partners and customers

What kind of support will franchisees get?
The Seattle’s Best Coffee comprehensive franchise program provides its franchisees with support from site selection approvals to store opening assistance, initial cafe training, ongoing consultation, employee training programs, marketing programs and materials, new products and more.

How much can I make?
This is an important question. The first step is to reference our financial performance representation in the FDD. The second step is for you to contact our existing franchisees so you can talk numbers with those who are living them every day. What better way to get great data?

How do I get a copy of the Seattle’s Best Coffee Franchising Disclosure Document (FDD)?
Please visit Request Information or the Application. If you qualify for the next steps, we will set up an initial interview followed by a copy of our FDD.

Why should I consider going into the specialty coffee business?
The world of premium coffee has grown, and customers now expect a great cup of coffee wherever they are. Specialty coffee is one of the fastest- growing foodservice markets in the world. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America research, in 2007, specialty coffee businesses had total sales of $13.5 billion in the U.S. alone.

Is Seattle’s Best Coffee a part of Starbucks Corporation? Seattle’s Best Coffee is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Starbucks Corporation. Starbucks acquired the Seattle’s Best brand in 2003. Together, the brands have over 80 years of industry expertise. Both Seattle’s Best Coffee and Starbucks have dedicated teams for their respective brands.

What makes Seattle’s Best Coffee different from the competitors?
The heart of Seattle’s Best Coffee has always been - and will always be - its coffee. Seattle's Best Coffee offers premium coffee that is approachable- roasted in a way that is easy to enjoy, available in a variety of locations and affordable. Consumers have told us that as the world gets more complex, they want a simple, great-tasting cup of coffee from a brand they can trust. It’s clear to us that the market is ready for a breath of fresh air to blow through and spread joy to a coffee experience and make it simpler.

Seattle’s Best Coffee is their answer. As part of its multi-brand strategy, Starbucks Corporation considers our brand to be uniquely prepared, positioned and ready to seize this opportunity and bring our coffee to an even broader marketplace.

What is the development time frame?
Visit our 'Get Started' page for a full timeline from application to Grand Opening.

How long is training? Does it cost extra?
Initial training is included with your start-up fees. With training, your team will confidently deliver the successful Seattle’s Best Coffee experience every time. We come to your soon-to-be cafe to initiate a three-week training course prior to opening.