Worthing, will mark the location of the 100th Foodco franchised store investment in the UK, with the opening of a 1500 sq ft Muffin Break café in the town centre on Friday May 8.
Franchise group, Foodco, first entered the UK market in late 2001 with the first Muffin Break café in Derby. Jamaica Blue debuted in Cambridge in 2014, and now the Group has 100 outlets across the UK, with 85 stores in England, 8 in Scotland, 6 in Northern Ireland and 1 in Wales.
Commenting on its milestone 100th store opening, Mike Arbuckle, CEO of Foodco Group adds: “From our first Muffin Break café in Derby back in 2001, to vibrant Jamaica Blue cafés in Bracknell, Belfast and beyond, the careful growth of both Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue has been defined by quality, innovation, and community.
“Reaching 100 locations is a testament to our incredible franchise partners, our loyal customers, and the dedicated Foodco operations staff behind each outlet, -and we’re only getting started. There’s a huge appetite for our quality coffee, freshly baked-on-site goods and menu offerings which use only fresh, premium ingredients.”
Structured as a franchise network, Foodco has seen a growing number of franchisees expand into multi-store ownership, some investing in both Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue concepts across the UK. The largest franchisee currently operates 16 stores under these brands, reflecting a strong trend towards multi-site franchising. This model is expected to continue and plays a vital role in the Group’s long-term growth strategy.
Arbuckle continues: “As town centres and out-of-town shopping centres work hard to create experiences and additional reasons to visit their schemes, our brands are well positioned to offer contemporary food and beverage options”
The company’s growth strategy extends into the balance of 2026, with five further Foodco outlets scheduled for launch across England and Greater London by June, and a potential expansion into the Republic of Ireland in 2027.
“We’re exploring smaller, food-to-go outlets, and we’re in discussions with airports and train stations to bring Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue to high-footfall travel hubs across the UK,” adds Mike.
Commenting on the success of Foodco’s franchise model, Chris Milne, head of finance at Foodco, explains: “One of the key drivers of our success is the consistent profitability of each franchised store, achieved by closely adhering to our business KPIs. We strive to negotiate fair rental agreements that allow the franchisee to maintain good margins and a fair return. Importantly, Foodco has never relied on external borrowings, instead focusing on building strong, sustainable franchise partnerships to maintain growth
“Our national operations team provides ongoing support at the shop front, fine-tuning processes, resolving issues, and guiding both franchisees and their staff to ensure operational excellence and profitability”
Muffin Break is a bakery /café format which offers freshly baked-on-site goods daily and serves an award-winning arabica coffee blend while catering to a range of dietary needs.
Jamaica Blue takes inspiration from the majestic Blue Mountains of Jamaica – one of the best coffee-producing regions in the world and home to Jamaica Blue’s exclusive Jamaica Blue Mountain coffee – with brunch-style made-to-order menus, great food and signature coffee
Foodco is also actively seeking new franchise partners to grow Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue across the UK. Store sizes typically range between 1,200 and 1,800 square feet, offering flexible formats including full cafés and kiosk-style outlets.
For franchise opportunities or to learn more, visit: www.muffinbreak.co.uk / www.jamaicablue.co.uk
