Gloria Jeans
Gloria Jean's Coffees is a US-based specialty coffee franchise founded in 1979, operating 600+ stores in 40 countries under parent Retail Food Group USA, Inc., serving 27+ million guests annually via franchised coffee houses, DTC e-commerce, and a mobile loyalty program.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersSanta Fe Springs, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Gloria Jeans does
Gloria Jean's Coffees is a US-based specialty coffee franchise brand founded in 1979 in Chicago, Illinois by Gloria Jean Kvetko, currently operating under parent company Retail Food Group USA, Inc. The brand serves more than 27 million guests annually across 600+ stores in 40 countries, with 31 franchised locations in the United States. Its core product portfolio is centered on handcrafted hot and cold beverages (lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, espresso chillers, smoothies, and specialty drinks) and whole bean coffees available in more than 30 varieties — including flavored, single origin, blended, and decaffeinated options — all sourced as 100% Arabica beans from over 20 countries.
The company's primary operational technology is a state-of-the-art roasting facility in California, where master roasters design proprietary blends in-house, including a signature GJ's Espresso Blend used across all franchise locations for consistency. This vertical integration into roasting and blend formulation is the brand's principal quality control mechanism. Supporting digital infrastructure includes a Shopify-based e-commerce storefront at gloriajeans.com, a dedicated online ordering portal at orders.gloriajeanscoffees.com, and a mobile application supporting the GJCLP loyalty program (10 points per dollar spent on handcrafted beverages and whole bean purchases, redeemable for free drinks). No AI/ML, proprietary technology platforms, or patents are disclosed.
The business model is predominantly franchise-based: franchisees invest $175,000–$500,000 per new location (available in drive-thru, kiosk, and in-line formats) and pay a 6% weekly gross sales royalty plus a 2% marketing contribution to a separately audited marketing fund. Direct-to-consumer revenue is generated through e-commerce sales of whole bean and ground coffees at approximately $16.50 per 12oz bag, plus limited edition variants at $17.00. Customer segments span individual coffee consumers (primary segment, served through both physical franchise locations and DTC e-commerce) and franchise partners (entrepreneurs seeking turnkey coffee business ownership with brand recognition, FPIP training, and centralized supply chain support).
Gloria Jeans firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Gloria Jeans
- Legal name
- Gloria Jean's Gourmet Coffees Corp.
- Website
- https://gloriajeans.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Gloria Jean's Coffees is a US-based specialty coffee franchise founded in 1979, operating 600+ stores in 40 countries under parent Retail Food Group USA, Inc., serving 27+ million guests annually via franchised coffee houses, DTC e-commerce, and a mobile loyalty program.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Gloria Jeans industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Specialty Coffee Retail
- NAICS
- Snack and Nonalcoholic Beverage Bars (722515), Coffee and Tea Manufacturing (311920)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Bakery Products (2050)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes) (THAFADAE), Specialty Coffee & Tea Retail (Beans, Leaves, Accessories) (CRAHAGAI)
Keywords
Where Gloria Jeans is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Santa Fe Springs
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
Gloria Jeans business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Franchise Royalty Fees: Ongoing franchise service fee of 6% of total gross sales calculated weekly, plus marketing contribution of 2% of total gross sales into an independently audited marketing fund. Franchisees pay initial fees of $175,000 to $500,000 to open a new location.
- Retail Coffee Sales: Direct sales of whole bean coffees, ground coffees, and handcrafted beverages through company-owned and franchise-operated coffee houses, as well as online e-commerce store.
- Shipping Revenue: Shipping charges calculated at checkout based on address and weight. Free shipping for orders over $70. UPS Standard, Ground, 2nd Day, and Overnight options available.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard 12oz Coffee Bags |
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | New Franchise Store Investment |
| Subscription | Weekly | Ongoing Franchise Fees |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
Gloria Jeans product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Gloria Jean's Coffees operates a specialty coffeehouse chain selling handcrafted hot and cold beverages (lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, chillers, smoothies) and over 30 varieties of 100% Arabica whole bean and ground coffees. The brand serves consumers through 600+ franchise-operated coffee houses in 40 countries and direct e-commerce channels, with all beans roasted in-house at a California facility.
Product overview
Gloria Jean's Coffees is a coffeehouse chain offering a unified product portfolio centered on handcrafted coffee and tea beverages alongside whole bean coffee products for home brewing. The core offering consists of handcrafted hot and cold beverages (including lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, espresso chillers, smoothies, and specialty drinks) and whole bean coffees available in flavored, single origin, blended, and decaffeinated varieties. Supporting services include a loyalty rewards program accessible via mobile app, online ordering and delivery, and a franchise program for opening new coffee house locations. The company operates over 600 stores across 40 countries as of 2025, serving approximately 27 million guests annually.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Handcrafted Beverages
Quantifiable outcome
- 27+ million guests served annually
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Gloria Jeans
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Gloria Jeans technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Gloria Jeans partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Retail Food GroupcoreParent company of Gloria Jean's Coffees USA. Retail Food Group USA, Inc. is the franchisor and brand owner, providing operational support, training programs (FPIP), marketing, and supply chain solutions to franchise partners. The company is headquartered in Chicago with operations spanning 40 countries.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Gloria Jeans competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf: International specialty coffee and tea chain with comparable handcrafted beverages and flavored/whole bean offerings, similar franchise footprint, and overlapping customer demographic — a direct franchise specialty coffee peer.
- Biggby Coffee: US-based franchise coffee chain offering handcrafted espresso beverages and flavored coffees in a similar mall/community format — directly comparable franchise model and product mix.
- Caribou Coffee: Specialty coffee chain with handcrafted beverages, flavored coffees, and a mix of company-owned and franchise locations — directly competes in the same product category and customer segment.
- Dutch Bros Coffee: Fast-growing US specialty coffee drive-thru chain offering flavored and signature espresso beverages — directly comparable on beverage menu, with a heavier drive-thru format focus.
Broad incumbents
- Starbucks: Global specialty coffee incumbent with handcrafted beverages, loyalty program, and proprietary roasting — a much larger broad incumbent whose dominance sets the competitive benchmark for the category.
- Dunkin': Large US franchise coffee and donut chain with flavored coffees and a heavy franchise model — a broad incumbent that competes for the same daily-commuter coffee occasions.
- Peet's Coffee: Specialty coffee roaster and cafe chain with deep roast expertise and whole bean retail — comparable on roast-and-cafe integration and consumer branding, though larger and more US-centric.
- Tim Hortons: International franchise coffee and donut chain with handcrafted beverages — a broad incumbent in the franchise specialty coffee category with comparable beverage-led value proposition.
Emerging players
- Blue Bottle Coffee: Premium third-wave coffee chain focused on single-origin and freshly roasted coffee with a cafe and D2C subscription model — an emerging player in the same premium, freshness-driven niche Gloria Jean's flavored/single-origin line targets.
Others
- Keurig Dr Pepper: Major coffee and beverage manufacturer/brand owner with consumer coffee products and at-home brewing systems — adjacent comparable on coffee product manufacturing, brand portfolio, and D2C distribution rather than cafe competition.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Gloria Jeans social profiles
Digital presenceGloria Jeans financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Gloria Jeans leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Gloria Jeans funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Gloria Jeans M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Gloria Jeans
What does Gloria Jeans do?
Gloria Jean's Coffees operates a specialty coffeehouse chain selling handcrafted hot and cold beverages (lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, chillers, smoothies) and over 30 varieties of 100% Arabica whole bean and ground coffees. The brand serves consumers through 600+ franchise-operated coffee houses in 40 countries and direct e-commerce channels, with all beans roasted in-house at a California facility.
Is Gloria Jeans a public or private company?
Gloria Jeans is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Gloria Jeans founded?
Gloria Jeans was founded in 1979. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Gloria Jeans based?
Gloria Jeans is headquartered in Santa Fe Springs, United States, in the North America region.
How does Gloria Jeans make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Franchise Royalty Fees are the primary driver. The others are retail Coffee Sales and shipping Revenue.
Who are Gloria Jeans's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Biggby Coffee, Caribou Coffee and Dutch Bros Coffee. Broad incumbents are Starbucks, Dunkin', Peet's Coffee and Tim Hortons. Blue Bottle Coffee is listed as an emerging player. Keurig Dr Pepper is listed as an others.
Does Gloria Jeans have an API?
No public API is recorded for Gloria Jeans.
What industry is Gloria Jeans in?
Gloria Jeans's product category is Specialty Coffee Retail. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAB, Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes, with a secondary code of THAFADAE, Coffee Roasters with Cafe (Roastery Cafes). Its NAICS code is 722515 and its SIC code is 5810.