Vending Machine Franchise Full of Options and Opportunity– and All of Them Healthy!

Grabbing something from the vending machine in your office building is usually a last resort when your stomach is grumbling around 4:00 p.m. Each option is a dietician’s nightmare– full of trans fats, sugar, empty calories and processed ingredients. Unless you’re grabbing something from a Healthy U Snacks vending machine.

Before T. Hephner, the owner of the Healthy U Snacks franchise, was replacing candy bars with granola bars, he worked in the pharmaceutical industry in business development. A hectic work and travel schedule kept him away from his family, so he decided to try his hand at being an entrepreneur. It wasn’t long before he latched onto the healthy vending machine concept– and almost bought a healthy vending machine franchise from a competitor.

 

“Vending is a tough business and when you nickel and dime your franchisees they’re not going to make money.” Which is why, of course, Hephner decided to start his own healthy vending franchise as opposed to buying into another concept.

 

What separates Healthy U Snacks from it’s competitors — both other healthy vending machine concepts and the traditional kind — is the concept’s cost structure and its products.

The cost structure of a Healthy U Snacks vending franchise is different– and better– for the franchisee. Hephner is interested in making sure his franchisees’ vending machines are placed in the best high traffic areas possible.

 

“We’re looking for high volume locations. Daily transactions mean money,” says Hephner.

 

Healthy U Snacks franchisees are also able to stock their machines with over 5,000 different products– from well-known to obscure health brands– because the franchise isn’t contracted to stock only a particular purveyor’s goods. The only caveat? Everything must be all-natural. While this doesn’t always mean every item is low in calories it does mean those who buy snacks from Healthy U Snacks are eating real food.

 

While Healthy U Snacks’ concept is decidedly on-trend as major efforts are made to halt America’s rising obesity rates, the franchise does face opposition.

 

“The biggest obstacle we see are in areas that are more traditional; the concept of a healthy vending machine is scary,” explains Hephner. “Times have changed. Healthy food doesn’t taste like styrofoam.”

 

Surprisingly, the least amount of resistance comes from the younger generations.

 

“When I bring in vending machines into high schools they’re empty by the end of the day,” says Hephner.

 

 

To become involved with Healthy U Snacks as a franchisee Hephner and his team really look for those who are equally excited and passionate about healthy eating and encouraging awareness of healthy eating habits. There are also two main kinds of Healthy U Snacks franchisees: those who are supplementing current income and those who want to supply vending machines for an entire territory.

 

“It’s very easy to run this business as a second source of income,” explains Hephner.

 

There are also those who want Healthy U Snacks to become their primary source of revenue and choose to invest in 20 machines spread across an entire territory. These are the rarest franchisees that Hephner has; most use vending machines to supplement their current source of income.

 

For more information on Healthy U Franchising and how to become a franchisee visit http://www.franchiseclique.com/franchise/Healthy-U-Snacks.

 

 

Yummy Cupcakes: One Sweet Franchise Opportunity

There’s no denying the allure of a cupcake: sweet, creamy frosting (preferably vanilla) and moist, delicate cake (preferably chocolate) is a winning combination. But, can you be successful owning a cupcake bakery? Can it really make you money?

 

The short answer? Yes — and Yummy Cupcakes has proven it’s possible.

In 2004, Executive Chef Tiffini Soforenko opened the now award-winning Yummy Cupcakes in Los Angeles, California. Since then, she’s served gourmet cupcakes and other treats to customers and celebrities the world over. As of September 2012, Yummy Cupcakes is sharing its secrets to sweet success as it expands as a fresh new franchise concept.

 

Yummy Cupcakes’ hub and spoke business model positions each franchisee at the center of multiple incoming revenue streams. At the center of the business model is Yummy Cupcakes’ bakehouse, a location that both sells and bakes cupcakes. A bakehouse is capable of baking up to 12,000 cupcakes a day– enough to sustain sales at 2-4 satellite Yummy Cupcakes locations, which don’t perform any onsite baking. In addition to cupcake sells (the average ticket is $14), half of Yummy Cupcakes’ business comes from catering sales.

 

“Taste is very subjective, but our Los Angeles locations win ‘Best in Show’ each time in one of the most competitive markets,” says Dennis Mulgannon, Yummy Cupcakes’ director of franchising.

 

Part of Yummy Cupcakes’ success lies in its proprietary icing and cupcake recipes. The franchise doesn’t use a single pre-made mix for any of its 430 flavors– some of which are vegan and sugar-free– and include interesting combinations like Apple Blue Cheese and Tomato Soup in addition to more traditional, sweet offerings.

 

Currently, Yummy Cupcakes operates three locations in California and two international locations in the Middle East. Since it began franchising in early September of 2012, Yummy Cupcakes already has locations in Boston, France, Italy, the U.K., NYC, Texas, Nevada, Colorado, Oman, Japan and Abu Dhabi.

 

So, who are they looking for when it comes to potential franchisees?

 

“We’re looking for candidates with business experience– be it former small business owners or former corporate executives,” explains Mulgannon. “A passion for baking is great, but we’re not looking for someone who likes to make cupcakes– we’re looking for someone who understands basic business skills, knows what a P&L is, and how to manage a growing business.”

 

For those who are interested in starting a Yummy Cupcakes franchise or simply want more information, visit http://www.franchiseclique.com/franchise/Yummy-Cupcakes.

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