Did you know that over 400 billion cups of coffee are consumed at coffee franchise shops in the U.S. each year?! As an entrepreneur that figure should most certainly give you cause for pause. This is one industry that is showing little signs of slowing down as coffee franchises keep reinventing themselves to keep their customers’ returning. Coffee franchises that sell specialty mixes of coffee enjoy more traffic as this accounts for about $6 billion of coffee sales – that’s approximately 20 percent of annual sales.

For the budding entrepreneur a coffee franchise offers great opportunities when you do not have much capital to invest. Many of them will work with the companies that distribute their machines and ingredients so that you can get started without greatly affecting your cash flow.

Competition for coffee franchises come mainly from places like gas stations and convenience stores. This competition can be dealt with by offering specialty coffee choices that are not available at these other stores. Recently organic and fair-trade coffee has become sensitive points for consumers so entrepreneurs need to be aware of these social trends and revise their operations accordingly.

Furthermore, having a coffee franchise will give you the advantage of owning a business with a recognizable name and familiar atmosphere. This is nothing to scoff at as the majority of consumers will prefer a familiar name and product than one they are trying for the first time. So entrepreneurs, wake up and smell the coffee.