Great Harvest Bread Co. Franchise
Great Harvest franchises make and sell bread, baked goods, sandwiches, and other food items that vary based on local ingredients and owner preferences.
$1,000,000
$35,000
159
1980
Dillon,MT
J. Michael Ferretti
About Great Harvest Bread Co.
Great Harvest stores focus on providing customers with freshly baked bread that's made from Montana wheat. Bakeries mill wheat on site and bake bread and other items from scratch daily. Most locations are a combination of retail store and restaurant, offering customers bread, muffins, scones, cookies, and buns for purchase. There are also several options for take-out or eat-in food items, including sandwiches, salads, breakfast items, soups, and sweets. Available food items differ between stores, as each owner is encouraged to source local ingredients and choose a menu that matches his or her region's culinary tastes.
Franchise Unit Trends & Revenue
159
3
$948,105
* in 2024
Franchise Fees
$35,000
Veteran's Fee: $31,500
5.0%
Gross Sales
2.5%
Gross Sales
Why Choose Great Harvest Bread Co.?
Throughout the Great Harvest franchise history, the brand has centered on the concept of a "freedom franchise" that allows owners to adapt certain elements of the Great Harvest system to their own tastes. Franchisees may make aesthetic decisions for their stores, set prices, and change menu offerings to meet local market conditions.
While the franchisor does provide extensive training and an approved list of suppliers, it allows entrepreneurs to customize their stores and adapt to their communities. Franchisees may enjoy this level of freedom (that is different from many franchise systems) while also benefiting from the strong community of owners who are encouraged to share their expertise.
Starting Costs & Investment Requirements
$144,100 - $630,930
$3,000,000
$1,000,000
Training & Support
Training is available for two people, the franchisee (or main operator) and a manager. Training includes courses at the company headquarters and on-site at the franchisee's new store. Franchisees must complete required online coursework before beginning official training. The entire training program covers food safety, bread-making, equipment usage, and various other topics related to running a Great Harvest store.
History
Great Harvest started when the founders, Pete and Laura Wakeman, went hiking in Montana and decided to start a life there. They used their previous experience baking bread from scratch to open the first Great Harvest Bakery in Great Falls, Montana in 1976. The Wakemans prioritized using quality ingredients, including wheat from Montana farmers, to create simple, healthy baked goods from scratch. The first franchised location opened in 1978 in Kalispell, Montana.
The bakery brand continued to grow through the opening of numerous independently-owned locations throughout the United States. Great Harvest Franchising, Inc. was formed in 1980, and this is the corporation that currently offers Great Harvest Franchises. The Wakemans sold their company in 2001.
The new owners refined the franchise system throughout the early 2000s. They decided to expand the concept of a bakery/retail store to a hybrid that served carryout sandwiches. Throughout the years, the menu expanded to include soups and salads, and in 2010, the Great Harvest brand moved toward a "café-like" operation. Stores added seating and expanded the menu to include fresh breakfast items. As of 2017, the available franchise options are the following: single-site bakery cafes with expanded menus and in-store seating, and hub-and-spoke operations the consist of a full-bakery "hub" that provides bread to "spoke" bakery cafes.
Ideal Candidate
Ideal candidates must meet strict financial requirements, including liquid capital of at least $1,000,000. The franchisor is actively pursuing new "hub and spoke" agreements in certain territories, so potential franchisees should be willing to invest in developing at least one hub and one spoke store in the area. Though single bakery café opportunities may be available, the franchisor appears to prefer franchisees who wish to open more than one bakery café within a certain period of time. Ideal franchisees are those who have the desire and creativity to customize their stores under the brand's "freedom franchise" policies.
Restaurant and Food Franchises
Franchises up to $250,000
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