Interview to Patrick Lahoud, from Colombiano Coffee House

We are pleased to introduce you Patrick Lahoud, Sales & Marketing Manager at Colombiano Coffee House. Patrick decided to answer some questions about his franchise and the bulgarian market. Don’t miss the opportunity to learn from him.

Patrick Lahoud’s Biography

Patrick Lahoud (Colombiano Coffee House Sales & Marketing Manager)

With 10 years experience in Sales & Marketing, an University Degree in Business Management, Patrick is an experienced Business Developer for International Franchises in the Middle East & Arab Countries and he has presented Colombiano Coffee House in the most reputable leading Franchise exhibition of the World. Additionaly, he has leaded Franchise Workshops in various Franchise conferences.

Also, here is some other information useful about Patrick:

• Diploma of Leading & Communicating & Time organizing & Groups Motivation & Decision Making & Generating Meetings Skills.
• Certified as an International Mystery Shopper for International Brands in F&B field.
• Events Management Consultant/10 years of experience
• 8 years experience in directing rehabilitation centers for drugs addicts programs.

Interview to Patrick Lahoud

BFN: How and where started making business?

Patrick Lahoud (PL): “Colombiano Coffee House”, more affectionately referred to as “CCH” or ““CCH Colombiano House”, is based on a Mythical and Old Love Story that brought together the Ambition , Love, Faithfulness and Gratitude shared among Coco, a young and beautiful woman from the area of Costa Playa,  her Grand Mama Lomalita, an excellent cook who devoted her life to teach Coco the art of preparing great tasting Food & Beverages with passion and Love ,  & the love of her heart, the Italian gentleman Fabiano who helped Coco realize her Dream of leaving her village to the city and opening her first Food and Beverage Store, a Love Story that immortalized the beautiful emotions shared between Coco,  Lomalita and Fabiano and  helped create Co.Lom.Biano , by the joining of their names.

“Colombiano Coffee House” first started franchising in the Middle East almost 3,5 years ago, as the Middle east presented a MORE  attractive economic ground for the growth of the Bistro /Cafe concepts .

Today , “Colombiano Coffee House”, is operating in Lebanon, Qatar, UAE and KSA and soon Syria, Kuwait, Cyprus.

Why decided to start franchising?

Patrick Lahoud (PL): Franchising is an excellent business model to help grow a succesful food and beverage concept

How many franchises do you have?

Patrick Lahoud (PL): 25 Branches – between opened & planned to be opened - in Lebanon, Qatar, Abu Dhabi, and Saudi Arabia (Riyadh)

What makes you different from other competitors?

Patrick Lahoud (PL): The advantages of “Colombiano Coffee House”, with regard to the consumers (the end users)  are as follows :

• “Colombiano Coffee House” is not a coffee shop.
• “Colombiano Coffee House” is not a Sandwich shop.
• “Colombiano Coffee House” is not a pastry shop

The “Colombiano Coffee House” Concept can be easily considered as a fusion between some of the better known COFFEE  concepts in the world and  famous SANDWISH & SALADS concepts  and Well established PASTRY & ICE CREAM concepts .

At “Colombiano Coffee House”  , we serve Hot coffee based beverages (“Calientes”) , Frozen “Picoccinos” , Refreshing Fruit based Drinks (“Frescatas”) , Mouth watering pastries ( “Joyas de Luna”), Yummy ice Cream (“ Crema Divina “ ) or Healthy sandwiches & salads ( “ Bocadillos & Ensaladas”) , and in some areas , our special alcohol based cocktails .

Further , our Euro Latino / Spanish image always adds a unique flavor to the “Colombiano Coffee House” experience.

The advantages of “Colombiano Coffee House”, with regard to the Investor  are as follows:

We offer

• Two in One Concept
• Full Service OR a Self Service approach to customers
• Concept Standardization & Documentation advantage
• Standardized Store Design advantage
• Continuous Support
• Training & Training & Training & re-Training Support
• Freedom to Purchase various Raw material locally, with our support and from or approved suppliers.
• Advantage of a relatively low Construction cost of a typical coffee shop
• Flexible structure of the Franchise fees
• WIN-WIN attitude that we practice with “CCH” Franchisees

Why are you interested in franchising in Bulgaria?

Patrick Lahoud (PL):

Bulgaria has:

• A  strategic location in the center of  Europe.
• A high Tourist number in the country.

Bulgaria will have a brilliant future and we want to be a part of it

Are you planning further expansion in other countries? If yes, which?

Patrick Lahoud (PL): We look forward expanding in eastern & western Europe and the Mediterranean.

What are your expansion plans in Bulgaria?

Patrick Lahoud (PL): We look forward to working with Franchise consultants and to participate in the franchise exhibition in Sofia to promote the brand and find out the appropriate Franchisee

What’s the profile of the franchisee/Master Franchisor are you looking for?

Patrick Lahoud (PL): Regarding our business development model, we, at “Colombiano Coffee House” (“CCH”), are not interested to simply sell the “Colombiano Coffee House” franchise to the highest bidder.

We are rather interested in finding the appropriate strategic allies, dynamic partners and brands developers who have a clear vision for the growth of the business, in order to create a win – win situation for all, whereby both parties can help build the “Colombiano Coffee House” trade name successfully and further expand our Euro Latino / Spanish culture, and, thereby, generate the maximum profit possible to all concerned.

In this economic crisis, what are the main advantages of a franchise like yours?

The bistro/Coffee Shops business wasn’t affected seriously by the last and recent economical crisis, because the Bistros/ Cafes have the lowest average ticket that customers would pay, and by contrary in the time of crisis we faced increase in sales, because people would rather choose going to the lower average ticket restaurant than the higher ones.

Are you offering any services/support for international companies if they are willing to penetrate the Arabian, GCC, markets?

Yes, for sure.

We, as Accelerate S.A.L, are specialized in the franchise business in the MENA and GCC Region.

We are proposing our headquarters in Lebanon as a logistical platform for many international franchises, to benefit from our Franchise development experience in our region.

At present, we offer Operational, Technical, Financial, Marketing and Advertising professional services, in addition to the after sales Audit, Support and Re – Training.

Thank you very much.

Thanks to you Patrick! And good luck with your business in Bulgaria!

If you are interested in franchising with Colombiano Coffee House, or making business with Accelerate S.A.L., take a look to their franchising sheet.

Colombiano Coffee House

Colombiano Coffee House is based on a mythical and Old love story that brought together Coco from Costa Rica, her Grand Mama Lomalita & the love of her heart, the Italian gentleman Fabiano, and helped create Co.Lom.Biano , by the joining of their names (for more information about our love story, pls visit our website at www.colombianocoffeehouse.com)

Whether serving Hot coffee based beverages (“Calientes”) , Frozen “Picoccinos” , Refreshing Fruit based Drinks ( “ Frescatas”) , Mouth watering pastries ( “Joyas de Luna”) , Yummy ice Cream (“ Crema Divina “ ) or Healthy sandwiches & salads ( “ Bocadillos & Ensaladas”) , our Euro Latino / Spanish image always adds a unique flavor to the coffee house experience.

In practice, one of our various advantages is that we can be considered as being a “two in one” concept, instead of just being just a Coffee Shop or a Tea shop or a Donut shop:

• We offer an extensive experience in the Coffee & Beverage category like other super well known coffee shop concepts.

• We also offer an extensive experience in the Sandwiches and Salads category like other super well known Sandwich & Salads outlets.

• For more information about the conditions you can take a look to these documents:
  • Introduction.
  • Franchise Information Memorandum.

Colombiano Coffee House
Contact data
Address	Beirut - Lebanon
Web	www.colombianocoffeehouse.com
Email	pl@colombianocoffeehouse.com
Phone	+961 1 285 080
Fax	+961 1 284 930
Contact person	Mr. Patrick Lahoud
Franchises in Bulgaria	0
Owned in Bulgaria	0
Total in Bulgaria	0
Costs
Total Investment	100.000$ - 300.000$/Per Shop
Franchise Fee part 1	Multi- Unit(territory) fee: 150.000$(for 1 to 5 shops)
Franchise Fee part 2	opening, operation & administration fee 30 000$/per shop
Ongoing royalty fee	7.5% of gross sales
Marketing fee	0% of sales to Franchisor- 5 % of gross sales , recommended to be spent by Franchisee on local store marketing
Term of agreement	10 years renewable
PoS requirements
Surface	100 - 300 square meters
Special requirements
Min. Population	50.000 people/outlet
More information
Country of origin	Colombiano Coffe House is based on mythical Love story originating in Costa Rica
First establishment	UK - Lebanon
First franchise	Lebanon
Establishments (total)	15 shops
Franchises (total)	3 (Lebanon - UAE - Qatar)