Raw Energy – When you eat good, you feel great.

Modern life for the average person is frantic and often filled with lifestyle choices and decisions that are made at the expense of one’s health. In recent years, however, more and more organizations have identified this and now promote healthy lifestyles in order to combat issues that could easily be averted by exercising, eating better, and generally making better decisions on behalf of our bodies and souls.

In 2007-2008, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reported that 42 percent of men in Australia are overweight while 26 percent are obese. Though there is a large number of life-style factors involved here, food plays a vital role in the equation of a healthy lifestyle. In order to eat healthier while leading busy lives, people need to have access to exciting and inviting locations that offer tasty and wholesome foods that actually have nutritional value.

Eat good, feel great.

That is where Raw Energy comes in. Australia’s leading good food café franchise currently offers their delicious treats in 11 locations with eight more due to open this year. Each café offers a combination of foods and beverages that fall into the healthier sides of the spectrum, including a wide variety of breakfast and lunch offerings, burgers, sandwiches, juices, smoothies, and, of course, a selection of coffee and tea. Almost everything you will find in a Raw Energy café is not only fresh but also a healthy alternative to fast food snacks that have dominated the consumer market for years.

Phill Tucker is Raw Energy’s National Business Development Manager. “We know that when you Eat Good, you Feel Great”, said Phill. “Our café’s are exciting and inviting and in prime lifestyle locations and we just so happen to have a very tasty and nutritious menu as well!” We are at our busiest early in the day . . . . I guess our customers like to start their day with Raw Energy!” We are also a great lunch option and several of our locations are on the coast so serving people straight off the beach is common. “Our stores are generally designed with an al fresco feel to them, we deliberately strive to make the stores bi-fold so the inside’s outside and the outside’s inside. It’s a very relaxing environment”, says Phil.

After all, eating well in a non-healthy environment would defeat the company’s purpose of promoting a lifestyle that wants patron to feel great. The franchise’s customers have already shown tremendous support for this approach as the combination of a stress-free environment and nutritious menu items has proven to be highly successful. Aside from the new locations projected to open this year, Phil also explained that the franchise is planning to launch even more cafes over the next few years which will cover additional areas like Victoria.

Fresh ingredients and tasty treats

“Because of the type of business that we are, the majority of our items are fresh. We help with organizing a local supply chain for each store and it’s very common to see deliveries on a daily basis”, Phil informs us. The importance of freshly delivered ingredients cannot be overstated though the continuing popularity of Raw Energy indicates that customers strongly support such initiatives.

Of course, anyone who takes a gander at the menu will quickly realize that there’s also room for more “middle of the road” options, as Phil explains it. However, that does not take away from the “Eat good, feel great” philosophy of the company which forms the brand’s ideals, like delivering fresh food in environments where people can relax or where they can simply grab a quick bite on their lunch break.

Securing new franchisees

As a nationally expanding franchise business, Raw Energy is always on the lookout for suitable franchise partners who support the brand’s beliefs who can expand the brand further by opening additional locations and spreading the name and ideals of the company. The application process is another unique aspect. Applicants receive a full in-store experience in one of the established cafes, where they learn the ins and outs of what it takes to operate a Raw Energy.

“After an initial query comes in, we make contact. We send out an information pack and if they are interested then we’ll have an informal chat over coffee to gain an understanding of the applicant’s personal objectives and expectations. It also helps to gain an understanding of what the investment cost is, an understanding of what the expected return could be. From there, we put a business plan together, send them out some disclosed documents in a draft form, we assist them in locating a site and we also assist them in finance. Then we do a final interview and if everything’s going well then we become business partners”, Phil explains about the process of selecting franchisees.

Aligning with franchise partners who are excited about the business and the ideals that it represents is a key part of Raw Energy. Franchisees are expected to run a store that caters to people who wish to lead healthier lives without sacrificing anything on quality or taste. The spirit of the brand is amplified by those that have a zest for life; who enjoy their sunrise starts and understand the importance of what they eat. Sharing similar interests about life and business is vital when entering into such a business, after all.

The growing market of healthy eating

The health food market is still young and there is considerable room for growth. Raw Energy is one of the leading brands in the sector and the expansion plans reflect the company’s ambitions. Social marketing plays a huge role in marketing and promoting the brand but each store is also a vital marketing tool on its own right. Each person that works for Raw Energy needs to have an in-depth understanding of how the stores operate and what they feel like for the customers who walk through their doors.

Being an active part of the community is a key aspect of that as well. As mentioned before, most ingredients are delivered on a daily basis. The fresh produce is gathered from local distributors, a key element of the company’s philosophy. Al fresco areas are key design elements of Raw Energy cafes so that patrons can enjoy bright and airy outdoor settings to sit, relax and enjoy a nutritious meal or drink. The menu allows for a wide range of options so that people can consciously choose whether they want something that is light and or something that they can indulge in without regretting it later on.

So far, this approach can only be deemed as highly successful. Should everything go according to plan, Raw Energy will have dozens of new locations all over Australia over the course of the next few years. The menu’s offerings are not static, which means that customers will keep seeing more and more of what they like most. Slowly but surely, it seems like Raw Energy will continue to be a name associated with good food and a great lifestyle.