Gloria Jean’s franchise: costs, fees and what to check before you buy

Gloria Jean’s opened its first Australian store in Sydney in 1996 and became one of the best-known coffee brands in the country’s shopping centres. Retail Food Group, which also owns brands such as Donut King and Michel’s Patisserie, bought the business in 2014.

The network is smaller than at its peak, and recent growth has focused on drive-thru sites. This guide covers the financial questions to work through before buying a new or existing Gloria Jean’s.

Gloria Jean’s franchise at a glance

Sector	Coffee house and cafe
Owner	Retail Food Group Limited (acquired 2014)
In Australia since	1996, Sydney
Network	About 150 cafes in Australia (2025)
Drive-thru investment	$390,000 to $800,000 + GST, excluding the initial franchise fee
Typical locations	Shopping centres, commercial complexes and drive-thru sites
Coffee supply	Through the franchisor’s supply arrangements

Figures come from the public sources listed at the end of this guide and can change. Treat them as a starting point and confirm current numbers in the franchise disclosure document.

How the Gloria Jean’s model works financially

A coffee house earns most of its margin on beverages, so gross margin depends on coffee, milk and packaging costs and on how many cups you sell per hour of labour. Food adds sales but usually at a lower margin. Because product is supplied through the franchisor’s arrangements, ask how prices are set, whether any rebates are paid to the franchisor and how increases are passed on.

In-centre cafes carry high rent and outgoings and trading hours set by the centre. Drive-thru sites cost more to build but trade on volume and longer hours. Each has a different break-even point, so model the format you’re buying rather than relying on brand averages.

The numbers to test before you buy a Gloria Jean’s franchise

• The full investment including the initial franchise fee, which is excluded from the published drive-thru range.
• Coffee and milk costs per cup, supply pricing and any franchisor rebates.
• Rent and outgoings as a share of sales for in-centre sites, and the lease term and options.
• Labour per hour of trade, especially for early openings and weekend trading.
• The franchisor’s financial position and support, as shown in the disclosure document.
• Refit obligations and their timing during the franchise term.

Buying an existing Gloria Jean’s coffee house

Existing Gloria Jean’s cafes come up for sale regularly. Test cups sold per day, average sale, labour and occupancy against the seller’s BAS and bank records. Check how long is left on both the franchise agreement and the lease, and whether a refurbishment is due.

How Franchise Co. can help with a Gloria Jean’s purchase

We work with buyers and owners of franchise businesses across Australia. For a Gloria Jean’s coffee house we can:

• Review the numbers before you sign. Our business due diligence starts from $2,000 + GST and tests the price, supply costs, lease and sales forecast against the disclosure document and the seller’s records.
• Set up the structure and the books. Entity choice, GST, payroll and a chart of accounts that reports beverage and food margins separately. See accounting and tax and bookkeeping, BAS and payroll.
• Check your franchise fees. We reconcile royalty and marketing contributions to the sales they’re calculated on. See royalties and franchise fees.
• Plan the next coffee house. If a second site is on the cards, we model the cash flow and funding first. See multi-site reporting.

Talk to us about a Gloria Jean’s franchise

Gloria Jean’s franchise FAQs

Franchise Co. is an independent accounting practice. We aren’t affiliated with, endorsed by or connected to Gloria Jean’s or Retail Food Group. Gloria Jean’s is a trademark of its owner and is used here only to identify the brand this guide discusses.

Sources and further reading

• Gloria Jean’s: Now franchising
• realcommercial.com.au: History of Gloria Jean’s in Australia
• Business Franchise Australia: RFG to acquire Gloria Jean’s
• ACCC: Franchise disclosure document

Sources checked November 2026. Franchise costs and fees change. Confirm current figures with the franchisor before acting.

This guide is general information for people considering a franchise in Australia. It doesn’t take your circumstances into account and isn’t personal tax, legal or financial advice.