4 Tips for Building a Business Plan for a Successful Crepe Business

If you’re interested in running a franchise in the food sector, a crepe business would be a fantastic option. Not only is it an affordable and profitable investment option, but a delicious one, too. If you’d love to spend your working hours alongside sweet and savoury tasty treats, it’s time to start creating a business plan that will set you up for crepe franchise success.

With its origins in France, the crepe is recognisable within many countries and cultures worldwide. Crepes are known by different names and can be filled with various ingredients. People around the globe have been enjoying this delightful cuisine and its contents for years.
—Crepe Delicious

The thin pancake known as a crepe is one of many cornerstone foodstuffs carving out a niche in the dessert sector, and it’s no surprise to see how successful these kinds of franchises are in the UK, where households consume a yearly total of 117 million pancakes [The Mirror].

If you’re interested in running your own dessert business, a crepe franchise is a great option, allowing you to combine a passion for good food with a lower level of risk (compared to starting a crepe business from scratch) and plenty of available franchisor support. Here’s how to build the business plan that will help you set off on your franchise business journey on the right foot...

How to create a business plan for a crepe business

Certain key elements should be included in every franchise business plan, regardless of the sector you’re operating in. These elements are:

An executive summary
A business description
Product/service descriptions
Operational details
Sales and marketing plans
Business premises plans
Financial projections and needs

More specifically for a franchisee with a crepe business, these four key tips will help you to build a watertight business plan that sets you up well and secures your future success...

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1. Include a sample of your menu

Obviously, crepes will feature on your menu, but a sample of the different options available to your customers will help your franchisor, or the potential investors that you’re seeking funding from, to understand your vision. The menu is the heart of every food business, and without it, there is no business. Therefore, it’s a crucial inclusion. The level of creativity you’re able to display will depend on the confines of your franchise agreement, of course, but within these guidelines, don’t be afraid to take risks and have a strong vision.

Include prices with your sample menu to help investors understand the price point that your crepe franchise will be targeting, as naturally, this will impact financial projections. Be realistic, do your research, and give all the information that you can.

Crepes are not just thin pancakes, they’re the ultimate food envelopes to hold any filling, sweet or savoury, be it French, Finnish or Filipino. Anything goes. And super versatile. Breakfast? Yes. Lunch & Dinner? Yep. Anything in between? Sure.

—Crepeaffaire

2. Get detailed about the location/space/equipment required for your crepe franchise

Again, this will be subject to the terms of your specific franchise agreement, but if there’s flexibility, there’s a chance to offer specificity and run things by your franchisor. Include any and all information that feels needed and relevant regarding the location you’re looking to work in, the type of space you’re looking to operate out of, and the equipment that you’ll need in that space. Cover everything from seating to heating!

3. Get detailed about the service you’ll be providing, too

Service style matters, and though it will largely be determined by the kind of franchise investment that you choose to make, it’ll still be an important inclusion in your business plan, giving investors a real sense of your business’s space in the market, similarly to the inclusion of pricing on the sample menu. Are you a counter service, table service or buffet style joint? Every crepe franchise is unique, and you should express your uniqueness in your business plan at every chance that you get.

Details regarding your service are important, even small ones, because these details can make all the difference for your customers. Including service style and service guidelines for staff in your franchise business plan will allow you (and any and all employees) to stick to them and gain a good reputation among customers. This will lead to repeat business and positive reviews, making your crepe franchise as successful as it can possibly be.

Businesses must approach every support interaction as an opportunity to acquire, retain, or up-sell. Good customer service is a revenue generator. It gives customers a complete, cohesive experience that aligns with an organization’s purpose.
—Help Scout

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4. Include a summary of the management team you’ve put together

If you have a team of employees working for you in your crepe restaurant, you should include a summary of the management team, explaining:

Who they are
What roles they’ll occupy in the franchise
Why you’ve hired them
How much they’ll be paid

Again, this will give investors a concrete sense of the size and type of your business, allowing them to see things more clearly and make a fully informed decision as to whether or not you’ll receive funding support.

Enter a successful niche within the food service industry and start a dessert franchise today

Hopefully, reading this article has given you the knowledge you need to continue building a business plan for a success crepe franchise. If you’re still looking for the right investment opportunity, check out Crepeaffaire and Crepe Delicious.

If franchising sounds like your cup of tea, but dessert is less your speed, never fear. If crepes don’t tickle your tastebuds, there’s plenty more out there. On Point Franchise, you’ll find resources to support the launch and running of a franchise in any sector, and you’ll learn how to build business plans for all kinds of franchises, from estate agencies to chicken restaurants.