The multi-award-winning cafe chain Jamaica Blue will unveil a fresh new look when it opens its two latest franchise stores in August.

Jamaica Blue Yanchep Central and Joondalup in Western Australia are the lucky stores showcasing the freshly designed Jamaica Blue fit-out.

Chief development officer Matthew Williams explains that after 14 years, it was time for Jamaica Blue to sport a new design.

New look, new colours

“Store designs evolve with the brand and we have changed colour palettes, signage and adjusted uniforms. However, a year ago we decided to completely refresh the design,” Matthew says.

The new look is a brighter colour palette than the coastal blue and white that customers know and love. Delicious tones of apricot and pistachio are sharpened with a yacht race blue to create a vibrant colour palette.

“It is very refreshing and targeting a broad customer range,” says Matthew.

Sustainability supports store design

The current cross back wooden chair is replaced with more sustainable seating, including booths and banquettes.

“We have a focus on sustainability,” says Matthew. “We are using recycled materials and softer furnishings; the plastic mouldings are cast from recycled materials and we have reduced our use of stone.

“It is important that we utilise finishes and panels that when due for refurbishment can be retreated or repainted and not replaced. This reduces waste and landfill and is more cost-effective for the franchisee.”

The excitement of developing a new look, while retaining continuity with existing stores, is always tempered by the challenges.

Jamaica Blue new look a design for multiple markets

“We consider the ability of existing stores to update to the latest look without prohibitive costs,” adds Matthew.

The brand operates across Australia and seven other countries, so the application must suit both the domestic and overseas markets.

The two new sites in WA will be dine-in, 100-seat cafes; Joondalup also joins a limited group of Jamaica Blue stores licensed and open for dinner.

In contrast, a Jamaica Blue in Malaysia might be an espresso bar in an office tower, so the design needs to suit a smaller-scale outlet too.

Across Australia, over the next 12 months Jamaica Blue is targeting 15 new store builds, while 24 sites will undergo refurbishment. All will sport the fresh new look.

The overseas markets will start to see the sparkling new colourways and fit-outs once the design has been tried and tested in Aussie stores.

Jamaica Blue has four new sites lined up for the UK and will expand further with another five to 10 locations across New Zealand, UAE and Malaysia.

Tech innovations introduced

There will be new in-store innovations too.

“Any franchisee wants to see a brand innovating and evolving,” says Matthew. “People’s expectations have changed; people are more time-poor. So we are introducing self-ordering kiosks. Of course, customers can still walk up to the counter and get served but this provides a swift takeaway service option.”

There’s an advantage to following in the tracks of fast food chains and supermarkets that were early adopters of the technology, says Matthew.

“We want to be sure the system works and the bugs ironed out before we ask franchisees to spend their money on technology.”

The kiosks integrate with the current system, and are cost-effective, reliable, and easy for customers to use.

Improving processes to improve profits

The tech advances include high-quality coffee equipment such as the premium milk frother, Ubermilk and the PUQpress, an automatic tamper used for compacting the coffee.

“We’re always focused on how we can improve processes, and how we can improve franchisee profitability,” says Matthew.

And two recent national Franchise Council of Awards reflect the dedication to better business.

Jamaica Blue scooped the Established Franchisor of the Year award, while Victorian-based James Wadsworth won Field Manager of the Year.

“The Established Franchisor of the Year award affirms the hard work of the marketing, product development and operations teams in evolving the brand. Focusing on profitability is a key measure of the award,” explains Matthew.

Award wins reflect high-performance

“Our franchisees are very proud; this is also good recognition of their work. It is one thing for the support office to develop initiatives but our franchise partners must execute them in-store.

“We’ve seen strong sales growth over the past 12-18 months, which is a result of great marketing and product initiatives. However, it’s our franchise partners working hard, executing at the cafe level, maintaining good-looking cafes, serving beautiful food and coffee, and delivering exceptional customer service that really makes the difference.

“We can create the best marketing campaign but if customer service isn’t great, it will fall flat.”

The field manager’s win is an important acknowledgement, says Matthew.

“This is great recognition for James, he’s face-to-face with franchisees every day in their cafes, sometimes delivering tough news that they need to improve. He is always upbeat about it.

“We put more resources into field support than any other, something our owners are resolute about. So this award is excellent recognition for a crucial role.”

These two latest awards cement the brand’s record of high performance in the franchising industry. Jamaica Blue has held a coveted 5-star rating in the independently assessed Australian Franchise Rating scale for the past five years.

“We love these awards, they are great recognition,” says Matthew. “However the focus is on constantly improving our business. That’s what the new look delivers; Jamaica Blue is all about introducing innovations and consistently delivering great service.”