Franchise

 

Turn your Passion into your Business!

At Oil & Vinegar, we offer an interactive gourmet specialty shop concept packed with international panache, flavor, and passion, providing our guests with an unmatched shopping experience.

Founded in 1999 in the Netherlands, Oil & Vinegar has focused on becoming a global brand name synonymous with high-quality international taste and experience.. Primarily through franchising, our vision is to make Oil & Vinegar a household name, providing food enthusiasts in local markets the opportunity to experience our unique international flair and discover the perfect culinary gifts for any occasion.

We are actively seeking passionate entrepreneurs who love gourmet food and are ready to chase the dream of turning their passion into their business. What Oil & Vinegar has to offer is a retail concept vastly different from anything in the market and one that appeals to the gourmet interests.

As an Oil & Vinegar business owner, you will have the opportunity to take your guests on a tour of international culture, healthy eating, beautiful gift arrangements, and of course amazing flavors – all in the comfort of YOUR OWN store!

 

The unique Oil & Vinegar Concept

Oil & Vinegar is an innovative and interactive Gourmet Specialty Retail concept filled with a vast range of exclusive or private labeled products made from the highest quality ingredients. The assortment is carefully selected by our buying team in Europe and produced by traditional family businesses in the respective country of origin. The care taken in the selection process and quality controls employed is why our products maintain their authentic flavors and superior quality. We believe you can taste the Mediterranean sun in our products. As our name suggests, our specialty is our "on-tap" oils and vinegars which consist of only the best quality given our rigorous selection process and long-standing partnerships with only a select few artisan producers around the world.

In the stores our customers can taste most any of our products, be tempted and advised by our staff on combinations and uses leaving our guests with no choice but to take one of each! Together with the inviting character of the shops, the personal attention for our customers and the way in which gifts are wrapped, a visit to Oil & Vinegar is a memorable culinary experience compelling our guests to visit again and again, plus share their experience with others.

a person holding a bottle

The assortment of Oil & Vinegar

The assortment of culinary gift products consists of over300 products, mainly from the Mediterranean cuisine. Included are herb mixes, dressings, olives, sundried tomatoes, mustards, sauces, pestos, pastas in various forms and colors, and – of course – a large variety of olive, nut /seed oils and balsamic/wine vinegars from various parts of the world. Matching ‘non-food’ products are ceramics (plates, platters and dipping and serving bowls etc.), kitchen utensils and cookbooks to complement the atmosphere of the different countries and food cultures.

As a franchisee you have the purchase obligation to order and stock all "core items" (~ 200 skus) Oil & Vinegar products supplied by us or approved suppliers. Our assortment is refreshed every few months. By continuously introducing new products from all over the world, we are able to keep our customers inspired and surprised. As a franchisee, you have the same possibilities as an independent entrepreneur, while being supported by the knowledge and experience of Oil & Vinegar.

Innovative retail formula
A visit to our shops is truly an experience not quickly forgotten. The open character of the store is inviting and once inside all the senses are stimulated by the tasteful presentation of our culinary products. Our guests are actively encouraged to sample nearly any product in our international assortment. Furthermore, there is a vast selection of oils and vinegars that are freshly tapped in front of you, a party for everyone who enjoys cooking and loves good food. Our unique presentation not only stimulates additional impulse purchases, but the gift aspect will turn nearly every recipient into a potential new customer. To surprise our customers, we re-merchandise (decorate) our stores every 4 to 6 weeks to give a completely different atmosphere. Depending on the theme we introduce the newest products and kitchen accessories to keep our customers continually inspired and encourage them to explore and experiment in their own kitchen!

 

Passion, enthusiasm, commitment
Do you recognize yourself in the following characteristics?

  • You are exited about cooking, love to cook and have an eye for quality ingredients
    A love for food and cooking and the attention for quality are essential characteristics for successful entrepreneurship in an Oil & Vinegar shop. By convincingly transferring your knowledge onto customers with enthusiasm and credibility, customers will trust your recommendations and return to be inspired again and again.

  • You are energetic and show full commitment
    You are in the shop yourself and tirelessly give your customers the attention they deserve. You are well informed about their desires and their previous purchases. You make your customers more loyal with your advice, enthusiasm and the quality of your personal customer service. With your commitment you turn visitors into buyers, and your staff and customers into ambassadors for the brand.

  • You have a talent for sales and a commercial attitude
    Sales talent is a combination of hospitality, people skills, thoroughness and flair. You are a true host/hostess and personally fit in very well with your target group. You are also capable of assembling a great team around you that portraits the perfect image for your store. Professional hygiene and cleanness are a given for you. 
  • You have managerial capacities
    The store is your own company, and you will take responsibility for it, even though you are supported in many different facets by the corporate office. You can handle your employees both in an inspiring and in a developmental way.
  • You have sufficient financial resources 
    You are prepared as well as capable to invest hard-earned savings in the store. You have a financial plan which you analyze continuously, share with employees and take corrective action immediately when off course.

As a franchisee, you have the same possibilities as an independent entrepreneur, while being supported by the knowledge and experience of Oil & Vinegar.

As a franchisee, you have the same possibilities as an independent entrepreneur, while being supported by the knowledge and experience of Oil & Vinegar.

Support from Oil & Vinegar
As a small business owner a lot of new obstacles will come your way. In these situations, it is comforting to have people around you that you can rely on for good advice. From the first contact you will receive guidance from our experienced employees, each with their own specialties and from different fields. For example, you will get support from us when it comes to the decoration and furnishing of your new store. Prior to this, you will receive a hands-on training in a live store setting for a period of over 2 weeks to make sure you will be well informed from the start. You will have on-going access to additional training and support from our central team.

Financial Investment/Cost Estimates

Financial Investment/Cost Estimates
The necessary equity capital of the franchisee needs to be at least 20 – 30% of the total investment.

Average annual gross rents

:   $35 to $100 /sf

Size of Shop

:   800 to 1,200 sf

Location

:   A1 or A2

 

 

Total investment

:   $88k to $479k

 

 

Some highlights

 

Leasehold improvements

:   $5k to $200k

Trade Furniture, Fixtures, and Finishes

:   $2k to $50k

Initial Inventory

:   $25k to $80k

Initial Franchise Fee

:   $25k to $35k

Professional Fees

:   $5k to $25k

 

 

Specification formula costs

 

Franchise-fee

:   7% of sales

 

We have developed the above estimates based on historical costs and expenses necessary to establish an Oil & Vinegar Shop and operate successfully for a start-up period of 3+ months.

It is possible to spend less or potentially exceed these costs in any of the areas listed above. Your actual investment will depend upon many different factors. You will remain solely responsible for all amounts even if the actual amount is higher than projected here.

Factors that will influence your initial investment costs include (but are not limited to):

  • Location of the shop (selected market and retail property)
  • Size of the shop interior
  • Condition of shop space prior to possession
  • Real estate and lease provisions – mainly tenant improvement allowance (TIA)
  • Local economic conditions
  • Time of year for opening
  • State/local taxes
  • City code restrictions/requirements
  • Materials and labor

Please consult your CPA, attorney, or your business advisor for your particular situation before purchasing the franchise. We are not a lending institution and do not provide financing directly or indirectly for any part of the initial investment. Your ability to secure financing depends upon many factors, such as your credit worthiness, net assets, business experience, business plan, and the lending policies of your selected financial institution.

 

Entrepreneurship is the most important characteristic

Step 1
Request of general information
If you got enthusiastic after reading the information we would like to ask you to fill out the application form and send it in. After receiving the information you will be contacted for an interview that will take place in one of our stores.

Step 2
Acquaintance- and follow-up meetings
In these introduction and follow-up meetings we will personally meet and get to know each other. We will meet in an existing shop and tell you all about our history, present and future. After these meetings you will have a clear idea of our organization and our concept, and we will have a clear idea of you as a person and as an entrepreneur.

After the first acquaintance meeting, another appointment will be made at the Service Centre. The direction will invite you to get to know the central organization and to give you a complete picture of Oil & Vinegar and the people that you are going to cooperate with in the future.

Step 3
Signing the agreement
Together we will look for a suitable property in the desired place of location. When this is found, a location research will be executed and an agreement has to be signed. This is an official and festive moment! Anticipating the signing of the franchise agreement, the agreed matters are documented in this agreement.

Step 4
Training
You will start your training in a store, and this internship will ideally have a duration of 4 weeks. You will also start the Visual Merchandising training, product trainings and cash register training that will enable you to start you own store fully trained.

Step 5
Grand opening
The grand opening of your own store! After you have opened your own store with intensive guidance and support by Oil & Vinegar you are ready for the actual start of your own store. You will start your own store to make it a success and to realize a maximum profit. Your life as an independent entrepreneur has officially begun!

Step 5

 

Interested in an operational Oil & Vinegar store? That is possible!

Please contact us at 206-285-0517 for information on existing stores which are available to purchase.