Established
1970
Franchise Units
80
Minimum Investment
$250,000
Franchise Fee
$25,000
Total Investment Range
$550,000
Home Based
No
Description
Seattle’s Best Coffee is a globally recognized coffee brand that blends premium quality, everyday accessibility, and strong brand heritage. Known for its smooth-roasted coffee and approachable café experience, the brand has carved a distinct position between specialty coffeehouses and mass-market chains. For entrepreneurs looking to enter the U.S. coffee franchise market with a trusted name, Seattle’s Best Coffee offers a compelling balance of brand equity, operational simplicity, and scalable growth potential.
Unlike niche artisanal cafés that rely heavily on barista culture or high-end pricing, Seattle’s Best Coffee focuses on consistency, efficiency, and broad customer appeal. The brand is designed to perform well in multiple formats including traditional cafés, kiosks, co-branded locations, and non-traditional venues such as colleges, airports, hospitals, and office complexes. This flexibility allows franchisees to adapt the concept to local demand while benefiting from a nationally recognized coffee brand with deep roots in American coffee culture.
With growing consumer demand for premium coffee experiences outside of ultra-expensive specialty cafés, Seattle’s Best Coffee is positioned as a smart, mid-premium brand that appeals to daily coffee drinkers, professionals, students, and families alike. Its strong supply chain, standardized operations, and marketing support make it an attractive franchise opportunity for both first-time operators and experienced multi-unit investors across the United States.
Why Invest in This Franchise?
Investing in Seattle’s Best Coffee means aligning with a brand that already enjoys widespread recognition and trust. Key reasons investors are drawn to this franchise include:
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Strong brand legacy rooted in the U.S. coffee capital of Seattle
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Broad customer appeal with a smooth, balanced coffee profile
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Flexible store formats that reduce real estate risk
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Scalable model suitable for single-unit and multi-unit ownership
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Growing demand for premium yet affordable coffee experiences
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Multiple revenue streams beyond coffee, including food and packaged products
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Support from an established corporate infrastructure and supply network
Background
Seattle’s Best Coffee was founded in 1970 in Seattle, Washington, a city synonymous with coffee innovation and culture. The brand was originally established to bring high-quality roasted coffee to everyday consumers without the intimidation often associated with specialty cafés. Over the decades, it evolved from a local roastery into a nationally and internationally recognized coffee brand.
The company experienced significant growth through strategic partnerships and expansions, eventually becoming part of a larger global coffee portfolio. Its brand journey reflects adaptability and resilience, shifting from boutique cafés to scalable franchise and licensed models that work across diverse environments.
Today, Seattle’s Best Coffee has 80+ of active units across the United States and international markets, operating through franchised, licensed, and co-branded locations. The brand maintains a strong presence in non-traditional venues, which has helped it reach customers beyond standard street-front cafés.
Industry Category:
Food & Beverage
Coffee & Café Franchise
Support Training
Seattle’s Best Coffee offers comprehensive support designed to guide franchisees from concept to long-term operations.
Pre-Launch Support includes site selection guidance, store layout and design standards, equipment specifications, and assistance with vendor sourcing. Franchisees receive help navigating permitting, build-out planning, and pre-opening checklists to ensure a smooth launch.
Training & Academic Support covers coffee knowledge, beverage preparation, food handling, customer service, POS systems, inventory control, and labor management. Training is delivered through a combination of classroom instruction, online modules, and hands-on in-store experience.
Operational Support continues after launch, with standardized operating procedures, quality control systems, and ongoing performance reviews. Franchisees gain access to proven playbooks that streamline daily operations and maintain brand consistency.
Marketing & Branding Support includes national brand campaigns, localized marketing guidance, digital assets, promotional calendars, and support for grand openings and seasonal promotions. Franchisees benefit from brand-level advertising while retaining flexibility for local outreach.
Ongoing Support features dedicated franchise support teams, continuous product innovation, menu updates, and supply chain management. This ensures franchisees stay competitive as consumer tastes evolve.
Ideal Candidate
The ideal Seattle’s Best Coffee franchisee is an entrepreneur or investor with a passion for hospitality and customer experience. Prior experience in food service, retail, or multi-unit operations is helpful but not mandatory.
Successful franchisees typically demonstrate strong people-management skills, attention to operational detail, and a commitment to brand standards. This opportunity suits owner-operators who want to be hands-on as well as investors seeking to build a small portfolio of coffee locations.
From a financial perspective, candidates should have sufficient capital to meet investment requirements and the ability to support the business through the ramp-up period. Location preference often includes high-traffic urban areas, business districts, campuses, travel hubs, and dense suburban markets where daily coffee demand is consistent.
Financial Detail
| Financial Component | Estimated Amount (USD) |
|---|---|
| Total Investment Required | $250,000 – $550,000 |
| Minimum Investment | Approx. $250,000 |
| Franchise Fee | $25,000 – $40,000 |
| Build-Out & Infrastructure Cost | $120,000 – $300,000 |
| Equipment & Fixtures | $60,000 – $120,000 |
| Initial Marketing Budget | $10,000 – $25,000 |
| Working Capital (3–6 months) | $30,000 – $70,000 |
| Royalty Fees | 5% – 6% of gross sales |
| Brand/Marketing Fund | 1% – 2% of gross sales |
