Article published on November 26, 2014, by Philippe Beaulieu on www.franchise-magazine.com : http://www.franchise-magazine.com/actualite/breves/un-franchise-cavavin-temoigne-8743.html
A year after opening a Cavavin boutique in the heart of Levallois-Perret, near Paris, Marc Yvernes is already planning a second creation in nearby surroundings.
After graduating in commerce and management, Marc Yvernes spent some fifteen years working for a major group. hotelier and restoration. He took advantage of an internal reorganization to leave the group and set up his own business. "I wanted to create something in a commercial activity, which was related to my interests: tableware, gastronomy..." he says.
Choose a brand with a proven track record
Marc had been considering the restaurant business for some time, but finally opted for the wine and spirits sector. It seemed obvious to him to link up with an established brand. He looked at a number of chains, and was soon attracted to Cavavin. The chain's new concept, its choice of city-center location, and the quality and diversity of its range all appealed to him. The future entrepreneur also appreciates the fact that franchisees enjoy a high degree of autonomy: the possibility of sourcing part of their supplies outside the platform; freedom in communications policy, etc.
A project built in a year
Between the first contacts, in September 2012, and the opening of his outlet, it would take Marc a year to build up his project. "I'd been living in Levallois for 15 years," he continues. I had a good knowledge of the local fabric and a number of contacts. So it was an obvious choice for me to set up in the town. And I was lucky enough to find suitable premises in one of the town's main shopping streets, close to the metro and not far from the Nicolas boutique . All this helped to minimize the risks."
It took three and a half months of discussion to negotiate the right to the lease. With 40% of theinvestment required, he turned to his bank, which agreed to support him. But he also approached the establishments already working with Cavavin. He chose one of them: "The human contact was very good, and he knew the commercial fabric of the town inside out," he confides. That gave me confidence.
Objective achieved
The store opened in September 2013. A year later, Marc Yvernes is satisfied with his choice. Admittedly, in the first twelve months of business, his boutique posted sales of around €240,000, a little below target, but the margin generated was slightly above the forecast. To boost sales, he is looking to develop sales to companies. And if the experiment continues to go well, he's already planning a second unit, located in a nearby geographical area.
