Did you know that there's never been a better time to join the UK Food Franchise industry? Last year the sector alone was responsible for £105 billion turnover in the UK. As we emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, the food and hospitality industry is ready for a successful bounce back.
If you're ready to sink your teeth into a food and drink franchise, then look no further than Veeno.
Veeno is an authentic Italian wine bar, proud to offer quality Italian wines and food across the UK inspired by quality & tradition. When you think of great wines and authentic Spuntini, platters of meats, cheeses and Italian appetisers from selected Italian Producers, you have entered the world of Veeno, inspired by quality & tradition.
When it comes to franchising, the group is seeking steady growth with partners who are as passionate about quality and customer service as they are
Learn more about the Veeno franchise opportunity here>>>
In our latest Franchisor Q&A, we look at why Veeno's low start-up costs and authentic Italian feel is a tantilising franchise prospect for budding entrepreneurs in the hospitality industry.
Q1. Why is your business a smart franchise investment for entrepreneurs?
Veeno is an authentic Italian wine bar, proud to offer quality Italian wines and food across the UK.
It’s a simple operation compared to restaurants or pubs, offering lower start-up costs with a potential 2-year ROI, depending on franchisee performance.
The franchisee will have direct access to Veeno’s supply chain, whether it’s equipment, furniture, cleaning products, all food and drinks, we have it sourced.
We import wines directly from Italy and source quality at the best possible price, which is a direct benefit to the franchisee. And as well, our family wines are exclusive to Veeno in the UK.
Q2. What do you look for in a potential franchisee?
The potential franchisee needs to be passionate about the hospitality industry and relate to great customer service. Our brand thrives on providing a great experience to our guests and the success relies on happy and returning customers.
We don’t expect the franchisee to be “perfect” in every aspect of the business, that’s why we look at people that will listen to the guidance provided and follow procedures put in place. We are here to support them!
Q4. How do you support your franchisees to open their site?
We offer a turnkey solution for our franchisees with services that are generally not found in the F & B industry, this being our own internal property design team and use of shop fitters that have worked on Veeno projects before (this doesn’t stop the franchisee from suggesting contractors if they want).
We can support the franchisee with the financing of the project if needed, putting together financial models and business plans and introducing them to different banks that specialise in Franchising.
We also have a thorough training and recruitment programme offering substantial support during the pre and post opening phases of a venue and of course provide all the expected operational manuals needed to operate.
We will support the franchisee with marketing activities, particularly for the launch and then ongoing during the course of the year, whether local, national, social media, we have got that covered.
Q5. How has the Covid-19 pandemic changed the way the franchise operates? What extra support and assistance are you offering your franchisees during this time?
During the period of closures, we haven’t taken any royalties from our existing franchisees.
We have also been very proactive with marketing and staying in touch with our customers.
As well, we innovated with new menu items we decided to add such as more hot food, keeping our menu “fresh”, based on customer feedback.
Supplier issues that have been crippling for many small businesses and independents have been managed well by our teams, even the Brexit impact for import has been anticipated, meaning that wine import is running smoothly now.
Q6. What plans do you have for the franchise over the next few years in a post-Covid economy?
We’ve managed very well despite the challenges from Covid, our like for like sales have gone up 53% in 2021 comparative to the same period in 2019 and store contribution (EBITDA) has doubled in 2021 vs. 2019.
We have a good pipeline of opportunities to open across the U.K. with strong interest from prospective franchisees, really appreciating our concept and brand.
But we keep saying, it’s not about the quantity of franchisees, it’s about the quality, that’s very important to Veeno.
We also want to develop greater processes and continue to develop our food and drink offering, looking at ways to optimise cost of sales and increase gross profit.