The Human Bean Coffee Drive-Thru Franchise is Expanding Nationwide With Area Development Agreements for 110 New Stores

MEDFORD, Ore., Feb. 20 /PRNewswire/ -- The Human Bean, an Oregon-based specialty coffee drive-thru franchise, is expanding nationwide with 28 stores now open and area development agreements for another 110 drive-thrus in the U.S. The Human Bean is rapidly bringing their signature brand of gourmet-roasted, fairly traded coffee to thirsty drivers across the country, and they're doing it by offering an attractive franchise concept that is almost unheard of in the industry: no royalty fees. Not having to pay franchise royalty fees each month means more money in the pockets of the franchisees, and that's just how the owners of The Human Bean want it. The no-royalty concept, combined with relatively low-start-up and operational costs compared to most franchises, is attracting serious business investors as well as entrepreneurs who are reaping the financial and personal rewards of working with a franchisor who puts people at the center of their business.

Franchisee Sam Wray has signed an area development agreement to open 50 The Human Bean drive-thrus across the state of Colorado. His company has opened five stores in the past two years and is planning to open another 10 stores in the next 12-18 months.

"The Human Bean franchise opportunity offers the best bang for the buck as far as return on sales," said Wray. "The owners of The Human Bean have a commitment to a quality product and a commitment to their franchisees. I did my research, and they offer the best product and the best support system of any franchise around, and not having to pay royalties enables us to build more stores faster and turn a profit."

Coffee is good business. According to the Specialty Coffee Association of America, 15% of the adult American population enjoyed a daily cup of specialty coffee in 2005. But for the owners of The Human Bean, good business also means putting your focus on how you do business -- with the farmers growing the coffee beans, with the franchisees who represent your brand and with the customers who deserve a truly great cup of coffee.

To deliver that truly great cup of coffee, The Human Bean roasts their own beans, ensuring consistently high quality and smooth flavor in all of their espresso and coffee blends. Another way The Human Bean ensures premium quality in their coffees is by sourcing their beans directly from the farmers instead of going through importers and distributors who buy and sell different qualities of coffee based on market conditions.

For The Human Bean, sourcing their coffee beans directly means more than just cutting out the middle-man, it's also a way to make life better for the communities in coffee producing regions. The Human Bean's Farm Friendly Direct program works with coffee farmers to promote conservation and sustainable growing practices. By building strong relationships with coffee farmers and community leaders, the Farm Friendly Direct team not only ensures a steady supply of the highest quality coffee, they also help to build the local communities by allocating a portion of their payments to fund local improvement projects, such as building a water treatment plant in Guatemala and hiring a teacher at a local school in Costa Rica, among others.

"At The Human Bean, we know that people are the key to long-term success, and that's why we support the success of our franchisees and we invest in the success of the farmers who supply our gourmet coffee beans," said Tom Casey, managing partner of The Human Bean. "We want to make sure that when you buy a coffee drink at The Human Bean drive-thru, your money not only supports your local economy, but it also contributes to making life better for the coffee growing communities around the world."

The Human Bean is now offering individual franchises and area development agreements nationwide for entrepreneurs and multi-unit investors who are looking for a proven business they can feel good about, from the heart to the bottom line. For more information see: http://www.thehumanbean.com/ .

About The Human Bean

The Human Bean opened its first store in Ashland, Oregon in 1998. The sustained success of their nine corporate stores inspired owners Tom and Tami Casey and Dan and Rhonda Hawkins to begin franchising The Human Bean brand and system in 2000. The Human Bean now has 28 stores in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and North Carolina. The Human Bean offers a royalty-free franchise system, an enticing brand and a proven, people-focused support structure that assists franchisees in opening and operating a successful specialty coffee drive-thru business.

CONTACT: media, Jennifer Allen Newton of Blue Horse Consulting Group,

+1-503-805-7540, or jennifer@bluehousecg.com