Biggby Coffee

Biggby Coffee is an American coffeehouse franchise headquartered in Lansing, Michigan. Bob Fish and Mary Roszel established the business in 1995 in nearby East Lansing, initially under the name Beaner's Coffee. The founders had met while studying hospitality at Michigan State University and had previously worked together as managers for the Lansing-area Flap Jack restaurant chain. Their first coffee shop opened in April 1995 on Grand River Avenue in a former Arby's location. The initial store's performance enabled the founders to add a second location in downtown Lansing in 1997 and establish a corporate office in 1998. That office supported bulk-coffee sales and coffee preparation while the operating business was still concentrated in the Lansing area. In June 1998, Fish and Roszel joined with Michael McFall, who had started at the first store as a barista, to create Global Orange Development, LLC and pursue franchising. A third company location opened in August 1999 on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing. During the following four years, the chain added nine more locations across Michigan and Ohio. Franchising became the principal mechanism for Biggby's expansion during the 2000s and afterward. The brand presents itself as a friendly, informal alternative within the coffeehouse market, with a menu centered on brewed and specialty coffee, flavored drinks, tea, and accompanying bakery or light-food items. Its store concept emphasizes accessible service and a local, community-facing atmosphere rather than a highly formal café experience. The brand's signature drink range and flavor variety are important parts of its customer proposition, although detailed product and sales information is not publicly established in the supplied sources. A major turning point came in 2007–2008, when the company changed its name from Beaner's Coffee to Biggby Coffee. The rebrand followed concern that the former name could be understood as an ethnic slur directed at Mexican people. Company representatives conducted brand research for approximately a year before choosing Biggby, which was inspired by the prominent B in the company's logo. The new name was formally adopted in January 2008 and became the identity used by the expanding franchise network. In July 2011, Biggby introduced a redesigned store footprint intended to reduce the cost of opening a franchise outlet by approximately 40 percent. The move was a strategic effort to make the model more attractive to prospective franchisees and to support continued network growth. In September 2011, CNBC named Biggby the fastest-growing coffee chain in the United States based on year-over-year growth percentage. In August 2012, co-founder Mary Roszel retired after 17 years with the company; Michigan State University's School of Hospitality Business later inducted her into its Hall of Fame. By mid-2024, the chain had more than 390 locations across the United States. Biggby remains a privately held, predominantly domestic franchise brand. Its documented history is characterized by Michigan roots, expansion through franchising, a significant brand-name correction, and an operating model designed to make community coffee shops relatively easy to open and run.

Biggby Coffee traces its origins to the hospitality careers of Bob Fish and Mary Roszel, who met while attending Michigan State University hospitality courses. Before entering the coffee business, they worked together as managers for the Lansing-area Flap Jack restaurant chain. In April 1995, they opened the first Beaner's Coffee shop on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing, in a building formerly occupied by an Arby's. The store's success gave the founders a base from which to develop a regional coffeehouse business. Expansion began with a second location in downtown Lansing in 1997. The following year, the company opened a Lansing corporate office that handled bulk coffee sales and coffee preparation. Fish and Roszel also brought in Michael McFall, who had originally joined the first store as a barista. In June 1998, the three became associated with Global Orange Development, LLC, a company formed to support franchising. A third location opened in August 1999 on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing, roughly two miles east of the original shop. Over the next four years, nine additional locations opened in Michigan and Ohio. The business increasingly relied on franchising as its growth model during the 21st century. This approach allowed the chain to extend beyond its original Lansing-area concentration while retaining a standardized coffeehouse format. Biggby's offer centers on coffee and flavored specialty beverages, supplemented by tea, bakery products, and light food. Its consumer-facing identity stresses friendly service, relaxed surroundings, and a neighborhood-oriented experience. The company is also associated with a broad selection of flavored drinks and signature beverages. The most consequential early brand decision was the change from Beaner's Coffee to Biggby Coffee. In late 2007, Bob Fish announced that the company would make the change by January 2008. The decision reflected concern that the word “beaner” could be used as a derogatory term for Mexican people. Company representatives conducted brand research for approximately a year before choosing Biggby, which was inspired by the prominent B in the company's logo. The renaming enabled the chain to continue expanding under an identity that avoided the earlier name's negative associations. The change is best understood as a reputation and brand-governance decision rather than a change to the underlying coffeehouse business. In July 2011, Biggby launched a new store footprint designed to reduce the cost of opening a franchise outlet by approximately 40 percent. Lowering the entry cost was intended to make the concept more attractive to franchisees and facilitate network expansion. In September of the same year, CNBC called Biggby the fastest-growing coffee chain in the United States, using year-over-year growth percentage as its basis. Mary Roszel retired in August 2012 after 17 years with the company. Her contribution was later recognized by Michigan State University's School of Hospitality Business, which inducted her into its Hall of Fame. Biggby continued operating as a privately held American franchise chain. By mid-2024, it had more than 390 locations across the United States. The available record therefore presents Biggby's history as a progression from a single East Lansing store to a national franchise network, shaped by a deliberate name change, a franchise-oriented store redesign, and continued domestic expansion.

• 2024

  Network exceeds 390 locations

  [1]Biggby Coffeeen.wikipedia.org

  The chain is reported to have more than 390 United States locations by mid-year.

• 2012

  Mary Roszel retires

  [1]Biggby Coffeeen.wikipedia.org

  The co-founder leaves the company after 17 years.

• 2011

  New franchise store footprint introduced

  [1]Biggby Coffeeen.wikipedia.org

  A redesigned store format is released with an announced approximately 40 percent reduction in opening cost.

• 2008

  Beaner's Coffee becomes Biggby Coffee

  [1]Biggby Coffeeen.wikipedia.org

  The chain completes a name change prompted by concerns about the former name's derogatory interpretation.

• 1999

  Third company location opens

  [1]Biggby Coffeeen.wikipedia.org

  A third East Lansing location opens on Grand River Avenue.

• 1998

  Franchising structure is established

  [1]Biggby Coffeeen.wikipedia.org

  Global Orange Development, LLC is formed by Bob Fish, Mary Roszel, and Michael McFall to develop franchising.

• 1997

  Second location opens in Lansing

  [1]Biggby Coffeeen.wikipedia.org

  The founders add a downtown Lansing location after the first store's success.

• 1995

  First Beaner's Coffee store opens

  [1]Biggby Coffeeen.wikipedia.org

  Bob Fish and Mary Roszel open the first location on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing, Michigan.

A mid-market, approachable coffeehouse brand emphasizing flavored beverages, friendly service, relaxed stores, and community-oriented franchised operations.

• Coffee · 1995

  Coffee beverages

  Coffee is the core category of the Biggby menu, spanning standard coffeehouse beverages and specialty preparations. The brand's identity is especially associated with approachable drinks and a broad flavor orientation.

• Specialty beverages

  Flavored and specialty drinks

  Biggby is known for flavored coffee and signature drinks designed to provide variety beyond basic brewed coffee. The supplied reference material does not establish a complete current item list.

• Tea

  Tea beverages

  Tea forms a supplementary beverage category within the coffeehouse menu, extending the brand's appeal to customers seeking non-coffee drinks.

• Food

  Bakery and light food

  Bakery products and light food accompany the beverage offer and support the brand's role as a casual neighborhood coffee stop. Specific products are not detailed in the supplied sources.

• 2007

  Controversy over the Beaner's Coffee name

  The company concluded that its former name could be understood as an ethnic slur directed at Mexican people. After conducting brand research, it announced a transition to Biggby Coffee, completed by January 2008.

  Source

Read more

• 2011

  Introduce a lower-cost store footprintStrategy

  Background

  The franchise chain sought to support expansion by making its store concept less expensive for franchise operators to open.

  Action taken

  Biggby released a new store footprint that it said reduced opening costs by approximately 40 percent.

  Aftermath

  The redesigned format was positioned to facilitate further franchising; the supplied sources do not provide a verified financial result.

  Approximate reduction in franchise store opening cost. 40% lower (2011 announcement)

  Source

• 2008

  Rename the chain as Biggby CoffeeOther

  Background

  The former Beaner's Coffee name raised concerns because of its possible derogatory meaning.

  Action taken

  Following brand research, the company selected Biggby, referencing the B in its logo, and implemented the new identity by January 2008.

  Aftermath

  The chain continued its franchising and geographic expansion under the Biggby Coffee name.

  Source

1. 1Biggby Coffeeen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Biggby Coffee official websitebiggby.com