Franchise Focus
might seem like a daunting career-shift, for the Miers, who wanted to do something they passionately believed in, it was a natural step – partly assisted by fate. Janet says: “I think the timing was lucky
for us. We weren’t necessarily looking to buy a franchise or even work for ourselves. But everything coincided: the takeover of the company we worked for, the exit bonus plus the fact that the Monmouthshire territory was up for sale. I actually found out about it while I was looking at Riverford’s customer website. When Jon and I read about the opportunity, we thought: ‘let’s just go for it’ – and that’s what we did. “The training was excellent. We went for a
Jon and Janet Mier
Town and country
Jon and Janet Mier bought their first Riverford Organic franchise four years ago and recently invested in a resale. Today they run both businesses with the help
of their teenage sons and a small team of drivers £9,000
InvestMent level: FROM
company’s dedication to food-related ethics and the environment, that they invested in a franchise in rural Monmouthshire. Four years later they jumped at the opportunity to buy the Cardiff and Newport territory. Jon says: “In November last year, we had
L
the chance to buy the Cardiff and Newport territory from the long-standing owners. We were ready to expand and thought that a country and city operation would complement each other. It’s worked really well, and we now operate across Cardiff and Newport, the whole of Monmouthshire, and the Welsh Valleys. “Before Riverford, Janet and I worked at a
web-based business-to-business company that provided product information for suppliers
ike many Riverford franchisees, Jon and Janet Mier were first introduced to the company as customers. They were so impressed by the service, quality of the organic produce, and the
“I’d say: ‘don’t drive the van, drive the business’ – franchisees need to focus on marketing, customer acquisition and retention”
and retailers. I was the CPO and Janet worked as the operations manager. The company was backed by a venture capitalist, who then decided to sell the business to an American corporation. As founding members, Janet and I got an exit bonus, which we used to invest in the franchise. Janet’s brother then helped us to buy the second franchise, and is now one of the directors.” Although going from a technology-based business to a home food-delivery franchise
week down to the main farm in Devon, and took our two boys with us. They were then 11 and 13 and they sat in the back of the training sessions, learning about the business mum and dad had just bought. Now – I’m pleased to say – they’ve become a part of the business. The youngest one helps out with accounts, and the eldest, who doesn’t enjoy the administrative side of things as much, assists with leafleting and stuffing envelopes.” For potential franchisees looking at investing
in a Riverford Organic franchise, Janet has some sage advice: “Really, there’s no substitute for speaking to other franchisees, particularly ones with a similar territory,” she says. “It’s important to be aware of the territorial differences, because what works for one area is not necessarily going to work for another. A franchise in a city, as we’ve discovered, will have shorter rounds with higher frequency of drops because it’s more densely populated. A rural franchise will involve more driving and the need for tighter logistical controls to reduce fuel spend and driver hours. The upside is you get to drive through the countryside, which has genuine lifestyle and health benefits. “Really, you have to think about what you
want from the business before you buy it, and consider your strengths and weaknesses. Most importantly I’d say: ‘don’t drive the van, drive the business’ – franchisees need to focus on marketing, customer acquisition and retention. “Ultimately, we always wanted to buy a business that would give us a good family income and a rewarding lifestyle. With our two territories, we feel we have both. It’s hard work, but it’s great fun. And it’s wonderful to have the flexibility of working from home and spending time together as a family.” n
rIverford organIc
Website:
www.riverford.co.uk/franchise email:
franchise@riverford.co.uk Phone: 01803 762 015 classification: Organic food delivery
March 2012 |
Businessfranchise.com | 51
Investment:Under £10k
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