At the Spice & Tea Exchange, part of our franchise is in the specialty retail industry and the execution of good supply chain management and inventory control processes is a key factor in how we developed our business model. Anyone in retail will tell you how important these two things are to your bottom line, so if you’re exploring a retail business, let’s see why they matter so much.
Managing Inventory: Why It Matters
According to Epos Now, inventory management is the retail heartbeat! It is a constant balancing act between having enough stock on hand to meet demand, and not having too much stock sitting idle.
Being able to manage inventory well is a key component to customer satisfaction in your retail store. If something a customer wants is out of stock, they’ll be disappointed in their experience at your store, and if that becomes a recurring theme, they may find someone else who can better meet their needs. That can impact your reputation.
Of course, you cannot stock a massive inventory of products either, because it limits your opportunities to invest in other areas of your business. So, what’s the solution? A better supply chain process.
The Supply Chain: Management & Inventory Control Options
In many businesses, the supply chain relationship is key to being able to successfully control inventory. However, many retailers have been struggling since the pandemic to get that supply chain back to a consistent delivery schedule, and that has made it harder for business owners to negotiate that inventory balance.
Shopify notes that when supply chain relationships are unstable, retailers can often turn from a “just-in-time” inventory plan to a “just-in-case” buying decision, which can result in the overstocked inventory of products that aren’t selling.
When you’re investigating a retail business opportunity, the more you can control supply chain issues, the more likely you are to have business success. That’s difficult to achieve, but possible with The Spice & Tea Exchange franchise.
The Spice & Tea Exchange’s Unique Solution
The Spice & Tea Exchange supply chain management and inventory control model is successful because we’re not only a franchisor, we’re also the primary distributor to our retail locations, sourcing more than 95% of product needs on behalf of our ownership base. This is a unique feature of our franchise business model and one that has great advantages for our franchise owners:
● Control: we have more control over the delivery of our product, which gives franchise owners better access to obtain and successfully manage inventory.
● Culture: we are always tasting and evaluating new, trendy spice formulations so we can keep up with the fashion of food.
● Customer service: our franchise team deals with the manufacturer, and our franchise owners deal with us for optimal service levels.
● Cash flow: franchise owners have more freedom in how they invest in the business when funds aren’t entirely tied up with inventory.
When you need a product, you’re dealing directly with your franchise team rather than a third-party provider. That has some great business benefits.
Over 100 Franchisees: You Could Be One!
The Spice & Tea Exchange is a tea franchise, a retail franchise, and a food franchise opportunity that combines the best of all three segments. Every franchise includes a tea bar where you engage with and educate customers on over 225 premium spice blends and herbs. Our product line includes over 45 loose-leaf teas, salts, infused sugars, recipe kits, gourmet gifts, and kitchen accessories.
We also have a unique wholesale franchise element to our business where you can sell to other food and wellness businesses in the retail space. With all of this, we are reporting 70% gross margins in our franchise disclosure document. Not only does this franchise come with healthy, immune-boosting teas, but you can also pursue a healthy franchise income potential.
One of the benefits of franchising with The Spice & Tea Exchange is that you’re an independent business owner who is part of an established network. That provides you with the flexibility and freedom that running a business provides, as well as the support and guidance of a head office team that manages the supply chain and inventory opportunities for you.
Explore The Spice & Tea Exchange Business
Owning this franchise means you go to work in a feel-good business every day. You offer healthful, quality products for people who are engaged with good-flavored wellness. Your working life should be enjoyable, and it can be with The Spice & Tea Exchange.
Fill out our online franchise form to get a conversation started.