Foxtail Coffee's Origins & Success Featured in Forbes!
Foxtail Coffee was recently featured in Forbes Magazine, describing our brand as part of a number of coffee competitors taking on Starbucks with our steady growth in the coffee industry. Our CEO and founder, Alex Tchekmeian notes that our humble aspirations along with starting small at the outset enabled us to self-capitalize into the 71 locations we have today! He was interviewed in this article, stating that his “focus wasn’t on expansion, but rather on cultivating a single location where we could share our passion for great coffee with the Orlando community.” He goes on to state some key pillars he continues to uphold at our amazing company that led us to the success we continue to experience in our growth and quality:
Maintaining Independent Ownership
Alex explains how the original concept for Foxtail came while he was on the road running AKT enterprises from different coffee shops and imagining what it would be like to launch his own coffeehouse. He goes on to showcase how we're different from most coffee chains in that he didn't reach out to private equity companies or angel investors to capitalize on growth, which helped “preserve the essence of Foxtail Coffee." Maintaining moderate franchise growth, without expanding too quickly, has been key to our success. “We’re privately held. There’s no venture capital money pushing me to make decisions,” preventing the brand from getting lost along the way.
Concentrating on In-Store Customers, a Rarity These Days
While most emerging coffee chains are focused on increasing business through drive-thrus and mobile apps, Foxtail Coffee, as an outlier, is “doubling down on the in-store experience,” Alex notes. Instead of the quick to order and fast to leave mentality, Foxtail’s cafes “are designed as community spaces where guests can enjoy our product in a setting that encourages relaxation and connection rather than a rushed transaction.” We have also stayed true to our craft coffee identity, focusing on quality rather than the next sugary drink concoction. This focus on community is also evident in our staff, which is trained to get to know the customer, rather than push them out the door. Alex talks about how “we want to be part of their routine, get to know their name, their dog’s name, their children."
Alex closes out the interview by talking about our future growth, expecting to add 10 new states by 2025! He still vows to maintain moderate growth and not let the speed of expansion undermine our core values. When asked the 3 keys to Foxtail's future success, he replies: 1) Take care of his franchise partners, 2) Make sure all of our guests are happy, and 3) Never compromise the brand’s standards. We continue to strive to do this as a company every day, and we are delighted for the world to get a sneak peek into how hard we work to mantain our high brand and quality standards. Click below to read the full article!
