Twenty-four-year-old coffee aficionado Zakarya Allouche was surprised at the flavour he tasted in his very first Soul Origin coffee. For this keen hospitality professional it was an eye-opening experience that has led him to an exciting new business.

Today he’s a passionate entrepreneur, who has aligned his core interests and values of health, fitness – and a love of coffee – with the Soul Origin brand.

“I’m quite healthy, I run triathlons and half-marathons, and I am training for the next Sydney marathon in September. I know that eating nutritious food helps fuel you, it powers you up with energy,” he says.

“I’m a big fan of healthy food and great coffee. I worked as a barista for a few years, and it really surprised me how good the coffee was at Soul Origin,” he says.

Cafe processes and delicious, seasonal menus

Zak is an experienced cafe manager who had a taste for heading up his own business when his research led him to the healthy food chain.

“I always wanted to own a cafe, to run my own business. After investigating some of the opportunities to go it alone as a cafe owner, I realised my perfect fit was a Soul Origin store.

“I liked the cafe processes; everything is set out really easily. When a customer comes in everything is ready, the salads are made fresh daily on site.”

And Zak is a big fan of the seasonal menu updates – which this summer included a creamy potato salad, a chicken mango salad, a barbecue chicken and a panini.

“Having new menu items is so important. Customers like to see innovations, and the regulars love variety,” he says.

When Zak first enquired about becoming a Soul Origin franchisee he was impressed by the business model, and the team was keen to harness his hospitality experience.

“I’ve managed two good cafes in Melbourne, one has a big online presence. So they brought me in for a Franchise Discovery Day and to demonstrate Soul Origin procedures.

“They could see how I operate, they understood I’m pretty confident in what I do.”

Hospitality professional now a Soul Origin franchisee

It’s no surprise that the two were a perfect match!

The hands-on experience was followed by further interviews and discussions about ideal store locations.

Now Zak is powering ahead in his own franchise, a high-traffic location at the newly transformed Westfield Knox centre. It is the 150th outlet in the Soul Origin network!

“This is a brand-new milestone store and I’ve been there just three months and getting the team up to par. It is very exciting.

“Soul Origin feels very family oriented; the team is really kind and supportive. The franchisor helped with the training on site; I went to head office in Sydney for a week’s training, and to another store for five weeks to cement my learning.”

Zak also arranged for some staff to take shifts in other stores to gain vital experience.

“Soul Origin has been really helpful; I’ve really enjoyed being a part of their team. Head office is quick to attend to queries, and very supportive,” he says.

Soul Origin’s care and professionalism is matched by Zak’s dedication to operating a high-performance store.

Exceeding expectations

“I like leading a team and making sure everything runs smoothly and gets done correctly,” he says.

The cafe in Westfield Knox’s newly refurbished food court is already exceeding expectations.

“I am really happy with our performance so far. Soul Origin’s brand has definitely helped Some customers were already fans and happy to see us open,” says Zak.

“Customers love the brand, and the coffee does really well! We do a day of free coffees on opening, and once people try our coffee, they always come back.”

He added Soul Origin’s catering service in the second month of trading, and it has proved a good revenue earner.

“Catering is repeat business and I enjoy building relationships with our business customers,” he says.

Zak points out that while the brand recognition that comes with a Soul Origin store draws customers in, good customer relationships are a crucial and ongoing element of success.

Customer service is king

“Soul Origin really emphasises the importance of a good relationship with staff and great customer service,” he says.

“Customer rapport is especially important when serving coffee. For some of our regulars, we are their first point of contact with the world, before they get to work. They want a good experience and we set the tone for their day!”

Zak is a big fan of Soul Origin’s easy-to-download loyalty app.

“The loyalty app is really important to our business; it is good for customer retention, and we find our coffee customers are particularly loyal. The app also boosts sales through promotions – our customers love to try new items.”

For Zak [pictured below], interacting with different customers is one of the pleasures of the business. “I chat with people I wouldn’t meet otherwise,” he says.

While it’s the customers that make his day, it is the tried-and-tested processes, the healthy food and great coffee, well-trained staff and the Soul Origin brand name that is the magic mix.

Just a few months in and this hospitality franchisee has big dreams for his Soul Origin business.

“I want to maximise the growth of this store and make sure it’s running properly but my long-term plan is to purchase another store,” he reveals.

“Friends and family were quite surprised I bought a franchise; they thought with my experience I would open my own cafe. Now they can see why I bought into the Soul Origin brand,” he says.