KEY FRANCHISE STATS
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$823,000
Since its inception in 1978, Great Harvest Bread Company has distinguished itself in the bakery café franchise world. The journey began with the opening of the second Great Harvest bakery in Kalispell, Montana, and the franchise quickly expanded beyond its Montana roots.
Today, it stands as the nation's first family of independently owned and operated whole grain bread bakeries and cafes.
Headquartered in Dillon, Montana, Great Harvest remains true to its core values of authenticity, camaraderie, and individuality. These principles resonate with people across the country.
The company’s franchising model is unique, promoting local ownership and community integration rather than a standardized approach. Franchisees are encouraged to adopt the company’s successful systems while adding their local touch to the business.
Here's what you would need to invest if you were to start this franchise. These costs are provided by the franchisor in the Franchise Disclosure Document.
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Great Harvest offers a comprehensive training program to franchisees, ensuring they are well-equipped to manage their bakery cafes in line with the company's high standards and procedures.
Initial Training Program Franchisees receive two training slots as part of the initial program. This includes completing the self-directed, self-paced Great Harvest University (GHU) online coursework, which provides foundational knowledge for running a successful bakery cafe.
Baking Fundamentals School A key component of the training is the "Baking Fundamentals School," a five-day intensive production training held in Dillon, Montana. This program covers all aspects of bread making and cafe item production, ensuring franchisees master the techniques and principles essential to Great Harvest products.
On-Site Training Franchisees also benefit from hands-on training at their bakery cafe locations. This practical training is conducted by seasoned franchisees, experienced bakery cafe employees, and corporate staff. It encompasses daily operations, customer service, marketing strategies, and employee management, providing franchisees with real-world experience and personalized guidance.
Great Harvest provides franchisees with exclusive territorial rights, ensuring that each Great Harvest store maintains a healthy distance from others. Once a franchisee secures a suitable location for their Bakery Cafe within their Exclusive Search Territory and completes a lease or building purchase, Great Harvest establishes an Exclusive Franchise Territory around that site.
The Exclusive Franchise Territory is intentionally smaller than the Exclusive Search Territory, which primarily serves as a broader area for franchisees to identify potential sites for their Bakery Cafe.
Great Harvest guarantees not to establish or franchise another Great Harvest store within the physical location of a franchisee's Exclusive Franchise Territory. However, it is important to note that this commitment does not extend to restricting all business activities of Great Harvest and its affiliates.
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Below are some of
Great Harvest
key competitors in the
Baked Goods
sector.
159
$35,000
$298,000
$980,000
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$823,000
$xxx,xxx
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16.1%
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PopUp Bagels is a next-generation bagel franchise offering hot, unsliced bagels and creative schmears, serving social, share-focused customers, and known for its “Grip, Rip and Dip” experience, limited-drop batches, and rapidly growing multi-state expansion.
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Al Manakeesh is a Middle Eastern bakery-restaurant brand offering manakeesh flatbreads, shawarma, and Lebanese specialties, serving neighborhood diners and families, and known for freshly baked dough, traditional flavors, and casual, counter-service settings that highlight Levantine comfort food.
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Orange County Bagel is a quick-service restaurant franchise offering bagels, breakfast sandwiches, and coffee, serving morning commuters, families, and nearby offices, and known for kettle-boiled bagels, generous toppings, and neighborhood storefronts that become local favorites for breakfast and weekend brunch.
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Jars by Fabio Viviani is a dessert franchise offering layered gourmet sweets served in jars, serving dessert lovers, families, and event clients, and known for chef-designed recipes, eye-catching presentation, and an experiential dessert-bar atmosphere supported by strong branding partners.
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Golden Krust Caribbean Restaurant is a quick‐service franchise offering Caribbean-style patties, rotis, rice dishes and meals, serving diaspora communities and casual diners, and known for signature flavors, cultural brand heritage and growing franchise network.
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