Muffin Break
Muffin Break is an Australian bakery café franchise operating 260+ stores across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, serving retail consumers freshly baked muffins, award-winning coffee, breakfast, and lunch items through individually owned franchise locations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1989
- HeadquartersMoore Park, Australia
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Muffin Break does
Muffin Break is an Australian bakery café franchise established in 1989, operating exclusively through a franchise model under parent company Foodco Group Pty Ltd. The company runs more than 260 stores across Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Dubai, with 139+ stores in Australia concentrated in shopping centres, airports, train stations, and Croc's Playcentres. Its core product is freshly baked muffins made in-store daily, complemented by an award-winning Signature Blend espresso coffee range, breakfast items (croissants, toasties, wraps), lunch items (sandwiches, salads, soups, sausage rolls), and specialty lines including gluten-free and protein-enriched products. The brand has been awarded Roy Morgan Coffee Shop of the Year for five consecutive years (2020–2024/2025) and earned a Golden Bean bronze medal in 2024.
The franchise model is the central commercial mechanism. New franchisees pay an A$5,000 deposit and a total investment of A$250,000–A$350,000 plus GST, with ongoing weekly royalty fees of 7% of gross sales plus a 3% marketing fund contribution. Muffin Break Pty Ltd derives revenue primarily from these franchise fees and marketing fund, while retail revenue accrues to individual franchisees. Supporting the network is the Foodco Centre of Retail Excellence (CORE) training facility in Sydney, an eLearning portal, in-store POS systems, and the Muffin Mates mobile loyalty app (iOS and Android), which enables points-based rewards, birthday coffees, in-app ordering, and digital payments (Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit/debit cards).
The company's technology surface is intentionally lean: a proprietary loyalty app, a gift card platform (physical and digital, A$5–A$100 denominations, 36-month validity), and an online store for coffee beans and capsules distributed through Amazon. Customers are predominantly individual retail consumers — morning commuters, families, students, and health-conscious buyers — served across a horizontal segmentation of personas. Secondary customer segments include prospective franchisees (no prior café experience required) and corporate gifting buyers purchasing bulk gift cards. The Muffin Mates loyalty program, the franchisee community ecosystem, and a string of brand awards (Stevie Awards 2020–2022, Canstar Blue Most Satisfied Customers 2022, Franchise Council of Australia awards 2025) collectively reinforce both consumer pull and franchisee recruitment.
Muffin Break firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Muffin Break
- Legal name
- Muffin Break Pty Ltd, ACN 007 192 529
- Website
- https://muffinbreak.com.au
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1989
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Muffin Break is an Australian bakery café franchise operating 260+ stores across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, serving retail consumers freshly baked muffins, award-winning coffee, breakfast, and lunch items through individually owned franchise locations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Muffin Break industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bakery Cafe Franchise
- NAICS
- Retail Bakeries (311811)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus) (THAFADAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes (THAFADAB), Dessert Cafes (Coffee + Desserts) (THAFADAH)
Keywords
Where Muffin Break is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Moore Park
- HQ country
- Australia
- HQ region
- Oceania
Offices3 records
Markets served
Muffin Break business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Retail store sales: Muffin Break's primary revenue comes from individual store sales of freshly baked muffins, coffee, breakfast, lunch, and sweet treats. Each franchisee sets final prices within regional RRP guidelines. Menu items include muffins ($3 for $3 Muffin Day promotions), breakfast combos ($9.95), and full beverage/food menu.
- Franchise royalties and fees: Franchise partners pay a $5,000 deposit to join, then ongoing royalty fees of 7% plus a 3% marketing fund contribution, both calculated on gross sales and payable weekly. Total franchise investment ranges from approximately $250,000 to $350,000 plus GST.
- Loyalty program engagement: The Muffin Mates app-based loyalty program drives repeat customer visits and spend, generating revenue through increased transaction frequency and customer lifetime value.
- Gift cards: Physical and eGift Cards available in denominations of $5–$100, valid for 36 months from purchase. Gift cards cannot be topped up and are non-refundable.
- Online store (coffee beans and capsules): Muffin Break products including coffee beans and capsules sold through an online store accessible via Amazon, delivering products to home consumers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Multi-year contract | Franchise investment: $250,000–$350,000 + GST |
| Subscription | Weekly | Ongoing royalty: 7% + 3% marketing fund |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Menu item pricing varies by franchisee |
| One time/ perpetual license | One time/ perpetual license | Gift Cards: $5–$100 |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels8 records
Muffin Break product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Muffin Break operates a franchise network of bakery cafés that bake muffins in-store daily and serve espresso-based coffee, breakfast, lunch, and sweet treats to consumers. Revenue is generated through retail store sales at over 260 franchise locations across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, plus ongoing franchise royalties and marketing fund contributions from franchisees.
Product overview
Muffin Break is an Australian bakery café franchise operating over 260 stores internationally across Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Founded in 1989, the brand offers a diverse menu centered on freshly baked muffins, espresso-based coffees, and café food items. The product portfolio spans core offerings (Traditional Muffins, Duffin, Espresso Coffee, Breakfast Croissants, Sandwiches, Salads, Cold/Hot Drinks, Sweet Treats) alongside specialty lines (Gluten Free Muffins, Protein Range, BeanGiving Coffee) and service offerings (Muffin Mates Loyalty Program, Gift Cards, Online Store). The brand is recognized for its award-winning Signature Blend coffee winning Roy Morgan Coffee Shop of the Year five consecutive times.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Muffin Mates: Loyalty program that lets members enjoy exclusive rewards, offers and member-only perks.
Products and services
- Muffin Mates Loyalty Program
Quantifiable outcome
- 20 million coffees served per year (as of 2019)
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Muffin Break
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Muffin Break technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
Feature1 record
Muffin Break partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Croc's PlaycentrescoreMuffin Break has a licensed partnership with Croc's Playcentres, operating concession stores within children's playcentres. This allows parents to enjoy a coffee and muffin while children play. The partnership has expanded to multiple locations across Australia including Reservoir, Campbelltown, Cannington, Clayton, Derrimut, Epping, Hoppers Crossing, Jandakot, Keilor Park, Kilburn, Lyndhurst, and others.
- Simply CupsminorMuffin Break committed to sustainability by partnering with Simply Cups. For every takeaway coffee or hot drink sold, Muffin Break pays to have every cup diverted from landfill. This partnership, launched in 2018, is part of Muffin Break's sustainability journey.
- Too Good To GominorMuffin Break partnered with Too Good To Go, an app that connects customers with surplus food from restaurants and cafés at reduced prices. This initiative helps reduce food waste by offering unsold baked goods at a discount through the Too Good To Go platform.
- BeanGivingminorBeanGiving is a pilot enterprise established by Foodco Group to assist Australian community organisations. When customers purchase from BeanGiving's range of quality, award-winning coffee brands, 10% of the purchase price is donated to the community group the customer selects. For an average at-home coffee household, this could equate to $43–$55 per year.
- Good BeginningsminorIn 2012, Muffin Break partnered with Good Beginnings — a non-profit organisation focused on building better outcomes for children in vulnerable communities through effective early intervention programs. Muffin Break raised over $500,000 for the charity over a two-year period.
- Foodco Group Pty LtdcoreFoodco Group Pty Ltd is the parent company of Muffin Break (and Jamaica Blue). Based in Sydney, Foodco has been operating its Muffin Break and Jamaica Blue brands since 1989. The group operates over 500 cafés in 7 countries, employing over 8,000 people. Muffin Break operates under Foodco Group Pty Ltd 007 145 057 and Muffin Break Pty Ltd ACN 007 192 529.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Muffin Break competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Campos Coffee: Australian specialty coffee roaster and growing café chain. Comparable as a quality-led coffee brand competing for the same Australian consumer occasion that Muffin Break's coffee program targets.
Direct peers
- Donut King: Australian doughnut and coffee franchise network under Retail Food Group. Comparable to Muffin Break on franchise model, shopping centre footprint, and bakery + coffee convenience positioning.
- Brumby's Bakeries: Australian retail bakery franchise offering fresh baked goods and coffee. Shares Muffin Break's franchise-driven, baked-goods-led model and shopping centre presence, though narrower food menu.
- The Coffee Club: Australia's largest café franchise with 400+ stores, offering all-day breakfast, coffee, and casual dining. Direct competitor to Muffin Break in Australian shopping centre locations with a similar franchise model and broad menu.
- Gloria Jean's Coffees: Global coffee franchise with strong Australian presence, specializing in espresso beverages and light food. Directly comparable to Muffin Break on franchise model, mall footprint, and coffee-led positioning.
- Hudsons Coffee: Australian specialty coffee franchise with travel-location focus (airports, train stations). Comparable to Muffin Break on franchise model and travel-channel expansion strategy, particularly relevant given Muffin Break's airport/train station growth.
- Jamaica Blue: Sister brand to Muffin Break under Foodco Group, operating a similar café franchise model with a Caribbean-themed menu and coffee focus. Most directly comparable peer given shared parent, overlapping infrastructure, and competing franchisees.
- Michel's Patisserie: Australian bakery café franchise with 160+ stores in shopping centres, specializing in cakes, pastries, and coffee. Comparable to Muffin Break on franchise model, mall-channel focus, and bakery + coffee hybrid concept.
Broad incumbents
- Starbucks: Global coffee chain incumbent with Australian operations across malls, transit, and high-street locations. Comparable as the dominant specialty coffee chain that Muffin Break competes against for share of occasion.
- McCafé: Coffee concept inside McDonald's Australia, leveraging 1,000+ locations to compete aggressively on convenience and price. Comparable as a broad incumbent reshaping Australian coffee expectations on value and speed.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Muffin Break social profiles
Digital presenceMuffin Break financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Muffin Break leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Muffin Break funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Muffin Break 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 Muffin Break
What does Muffin Break do?
Muffin Break operates a franchise network of bakery cafés that bake muffins in-store daily and serve espresso-based coffee, breakfast, lunch, and sweet treats to consumers. Revenue is generated through retail store sales at over 260 franchise locations across Australia, New Zealand, and the UK, plus ongoing franchise royalties and marketing fund contributions from franchisees.
Is Muffin Break a public or private company?
Muffin Break is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Muffin Break founded?
Muffin Break was founded in 1989. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Muffin Break based?
Muffin Break is headquartered in Moore Park, Australia, in the Oceania region.
How does Muffin Break make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail store sales are the primary driver. The others are franchise royalties and fees, loyalty program engagement, gift cards and online store (coffee beans and capsules).
Who are Muffin Break's main competitors?
Campos Coffee is listed as an emerging player. Direct peers are Donut King, Brumby's Bakeries, The Coffee Club, Gloria Jean's Coffees, Hudsons Coffee, Jamaica Blue and Michel's Patisserie. Broad incumbents are Starbucks and McCafé.
Does Muffin Break have an API?
No public API is recorded for Muffin Break.
What industry is Muffin Break in?
Muffin Break's product category is Bakery Cafe Franchise. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAFADAG, Cafe-Bakeries (Coffee + Pastry Focus), with a secondary code of THAFADAB, Coffee Chains & Franchise Cafes. Its NAICS code is 311811 and its SIC code is 5810.