For high-quality brands like Degani, a core focus still remains their premium coffee, and as Business Development Manager, Michelle Brook says, “it was the foundation of Degani many moons ago – particularly in Victoria where it is a very competitive aspect!” Surrounding their commitment to an exceptional brew is also an ethos of fresh food cooked to order.

Ms. Brook says the Degani brand is now attracting all demographics, from engineers to IT specialists who have “never been back of house” – but, are taking control of the front of house and bringing in professional management to run back of house. Victorian based franchisee, Khalid Shah is one such story. A quailed chef, he owns two Degani franchises – one in Harbour Town (Docklands) and another in Parkmore (Keysborough). He took time out of his busy hospitality schedule to share how after one and a half years, his Degani journey keeps getting better and better.

What drew you to Degani? 

Khalid Shah – “It’s a well-known brand that people are familiar with and they offer a lot of support. When I compared the royalty fee to other hospitality franchises, I found this reasonable and really low. I had a bit of experience in the café and restaurant scene, so this gave me the confidence to join”.

Michelle Brook – “The processes in the business are simple,efficient and it’s easy to skill yourself up; as you gain more confidence in the operations – it doesn’t take long”. 

Main advantages of owning a franchise?

Khalid Shah – “It’s been a great journey since I started till now. In the first nine months I managed to grow and get my second store with the support of Degani and my staff. I am located (live)between two stores so I don’t have much travelling, it’s 25 mins to the city and the other one is on the opposite side, I spend a couple of days there and a couple of days here. This makes it a lot easier to manage both”.“I’m a qualified chef and even if I didn’t have this experience I still would’ve preferred Degani. There is a lot on offer – especially the amount of training and support at the start you get”.

Michelle Brook – “There’s good support in place and training and to help people adapt”.

Advice to people looking for a hospitality franchise?

Khalid Shah – “Anyone who would like to operate a business, you need to be passionate about what you want to do, skill is secondary, you have to be passionate about it. With drive, you will be successful, once you join the Degani franchise chain – the support will be there for you, and the day to day operations get easier.”

Michelle Brook – “We start with a foundation and allow operators to grow into the business by bringing their personality and their way. It’s a nice thing for me to watch them develop and grow”.