Il Gusto, the retailer of quality oils, balsamic vinegars, liqueurs and spirits, has launched a ‘pop up’ franchise for high traffic shopping centres and department stores. The company says it provides a direct link from producer to consumer and notably sells most produces direct from the barrel.
Richard Mosconi, the founder, said that with nearly 50 per cent of business undertaken from October to December, this seasonal ‘pop up’ model will offer franchisees the ability to maximise profits while minimising costs.
The company says that its concept provides further economies of scale for franchisees through reduced logistic costs, staff optimisation costs and improved rent, all of which should result in increased turnover and profit.
Il Gusto currently has nine ‘pop up’ shops operating this year in Newcastle, Cardiff and Nottingham with a franchised shop in Glasgow, and is planning to have 25 shops next year.
The parent company of Il Gusto, ILG, has also launched a second ‘pop up’ franchise, Cabaia, a personalised accessories brand of hats, such as bobble hats that come with three contrasting pompoms that can be clipped on and taken off as desired.
Franchisees can choose to operate either or both brands and the company highlights that the two businesses are ideally suited to the gift market in the run up to Christmas. Both concepts offer franchisees a flexible working lifestyle of a minimum of three-months a year.
The company’s ambition is to see successful franchisees extend from running one ‘pop up’ to managing a series in the same region and Mosconi explained that it had deliberately focused on creating a franchise template based on simplicity of set-up to encourage regional expansion, encouraging growth with ease.
Mosconi commented: “I think this concept is very much of the time. For many people, the opportunity to work profitably on a basis that is effectively part-time is highly attractive. Seasonality and personalisation are two key trends that support the potential success of any franchisee with a relatively low level of investment.”
Il Gusto’s slogan, ‘The theatre of taste’, certainly sums-up its products, which range from herbal and spiced oils, a selection of extra virgin olive oils including a lime, mango and ginger oil, fruit liqueurs such as raspberry rosemary gin and a sparkling vodka with edible gold flakes.
01494 448 242
info@ilgusto.uk.com