Leading chocolate retailer accelerates development throughout Florida as it seeks qualified franchisees in new and existing territories across the Southeast.
Peterbrooke Chocolatier (Peterbrooke), the premiere Florida-based confectioner transforming the art of fine European chocolate making into a truly American experience, announced today strong business growth since the beginning of 2018 with the opening of three new shops, the signing of multiple new franchise agreements and double digit sales increases across its more than 20-unit system. This momentum is indicative of the brand’s commitment to calculated development and its expansion into priority growth markets such as St. Augustine, Sarasota and Palm Beach. Fueled by Peterbrooke’s robust support, training and hands-on operational coaching, the Jacksonville-based chocolate retail franchise has surpassed its 2018 objectives and is strategically positioned to achieve its development goals in 2019.
“Peterbrooke has experienced strong growth in 2018 – from three new openings to multiple new franchise agreements and existing franchise operators expanding their business,” said Jeff Smith, Peterbrooke Chocolatier’s chief operating officer. “Our constant drive to improve operational efficiency has allowed us to accelerate development efforts across Florida and fill in available territories in expansion markets including Naples, Tampa, Orlando, Atlanta and Savannah. Furthermore, our concentrated focus on franchise operations has driven double digit increases in average comp sales while pushing our average ticket prices to nearly $30 per transaction.”
Since its inception more than 35 years ago, Peterbrooke’s goal has been to build a modern neighborhood chocolate shop based on old world recipes and confectionary traditions. Most recently, the brand launched its 2.0 shop design that caters to evolving tastes, demographics and shopping habits. These store improvements include rotating gelato cases, chocolate tasting bars, state-of-the-art kitchens, build-your-own bark stations and interactive prep areas, which bring customers much closer to the chocolate making experience.
“Our store design updates have improved Peterbrooke’s customer experience, which is evident in our sales growth and increased franchise development interest,” said Smith. “These impressive strides we’ve made as a brand, along with our continued focus on innovation, will only help to propel Peterbrooke forward. Our goal is to open 24 new franchised locations over the next six years with the right franchise partners across the Southeastern United States.”
All Peterbrooke shops feature traditional favorites such as decadent truffles, hand-made caramels and cherry cordials and specialties such as chocolate covered cookies, pretzels, scratch-made marshmallows, potato chips and strawberries that are hand-dipped daily in shops with Peterbrooke’s own proprietary blend of milk, dark and white chocolate. Furthermore, many of Peterbrooke’s chocolates are certified OU Kosher, including the gelato, and each Peterbrooke shop offers its own unique take on team-building classes, summer day camps for children, private parties, catering and corporate gifts.
Over the course of 2018, Peterbrooke sold more than 108,600 pounds of chocolate covered popcorn – that’s more than 289,000 six-ounce bags of the brand’s most popular item. Additionally, Peterbrooke hand dipped 46,757 strawberries for Valentines Day in 2018 and has given away 53,968 free scoops of its handmade gelato since its annual Gelato July Wednesday promotion began four years ago. All of these milestones continue to solidify Peterbrooke’s presence as a top choice for consumers looking for premium gifts or indulging in incredibly craveable treats.
Furthermore, all Peterbrooke shops are UTZ certified, an accreditation that supports the global sustainable farming of cacao while providing farmers with better opportunities for growth and profitability. The UTZ program allows Peterbrooke’s cacao farmers to learn more environmentally friendly growing methods that increase crop yields while improving working conditions and simultaneously safeguarding our planet. Peterbrooke was one of the earliest adopters of the UTZ certification in the United States and is a proud part of a sustainability program that involves all aspects of the chocolate supply chain.
Franchising since 2006, Peterbrooke is currently seeking area developers and single and multi-unit operators to facilitate its expansion. Owners can expect their initial investment to range from approximately $222,750 to $343,500, including a $25,000 franchise fee. Peterbrooke candidates are required to have a minimum of $75,000 in liquid assets and a minimum net worth of $300,000. With minimal overhead, a marginal equipment investment and a customer base that is easily scalable, Peterbrooke franchisees are well positioned for success. For franchise development information, visit peterbrookefranchising.com.