As a whole, Great Harvest franchise owners are passionate about running strong and exciting bakeries that produce high quality and nutritious whole grain products in a warm and welcoming atmosphere. Most owners embrace the lifestyle our franchise opportunities provide and wouldn’t trade it for any other career choice.
So, why are there currently 18 publicly advertised and a handful of confidential bakeries for sale? This is a common question we hear during the franchise research phase.
First, and foremost, it is important to understand that any smart business owner should have an exit strategy. At Great Harvest, we recognize that as much as we hate to see them go, at some point, it will be time for each one of our customers to move on.
Here are the top 3 reasons Great Harvest bakeries change hands.
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Retirement: Great Harvest franchises have been popping up across the country for over 30 years now. Over the past few years, a number of our long-time owners have decided it is time to retire and hand the reigns of the bakery over to new owners. Such was the case for Scott and Sally Creevy, Hall of Fame owners from Boulder, Colorado, who sold their bakery in 2012 to Kevin and Chanel Peed after 29 years of running their Great Harvest Bread Company.
Kevin and Chanel Peed, new owners of the Boulder, CO Great Harvest Bread Co -
Fit: Our application and due diligence process on the path the ownership is quite extensive. Both our corporate team and our broader bread business community work hard to try to provide an accurate picture of the day-to-day operations and lifestyle of being a successful Great Harvest bakery cafe owner. Owners entering our system are enthusiastic and excited and confident that this is the right career path for them and their families. Most often that is the case, but sometimes, like any career move, it doesn’t turn out to be the right fit for them in either the short or long term. In those instances, selling the bakery and handing ownership over to someone who is ready to breathe new life and energy into the bakery cafe can be a win-win situation.
Tyler Kimura, new owner of the Kailua, Hawaii Great Harvest Bread Co
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Unexpected Personal Predicaments: Sometimes the unexpected or unplanned happens. This can include unhappy events such as divorce, illness, or even death of one of our owners. We don’t like to focus on the negative, but occasionally these incidents become a reality. In these situations, there are a lot of emotions involved, and our goal is to help our owners find buyers who can carry on their legacy.
We have a dedicated team of experts who help to facilitate the sales process for both the selling owner and potential buyers. You can learn more about franchise opportunities by contacting us here.
