
PJ's Coffee of New Orleans
Coffee, tea, pastries, sandwiches, salads- Units as of 2021
-
123 (39 added in 3 years)46.4%
- 2021 Franchise 500 Rank
-
#437 Ranked #478 last year
- Initial investment
-
$198K - $578K
Request more information from
PJ's Coffee of New Orleans

Thank you! You will be hearing from us shortly.
Company Overview
Located near Tulane University, the new café appealed to nearby students. Since then, PJ's Coffee locations have sprung up on other college campuses nationwide, as well as in airports, stadiums and retail centers.
About PJ's Coffee of New Orleans
- Industry
- Food
- Related Categories
- Coffee, Sandwiches
- Founded
- 1978
- Parent Company
- Ballard Brands
- Leadership
- Peter Boylan, President
More from PJ's Coffee of New Orleans
Our Story
A Legacy All Its Own
PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans was founded in 1978 by Phyllis Jordan, a pioneer in the coffee industry who embraced high-quality beans, superior roasting methods, and a pure passion for the art of coffee-making. Today, our franchise coffee shop is recognized for harvesting, roasting, and personally crafting gourmet drinks using only the top 1% of Arabica beans and delicious organic tea. In addition, our selection of fresh breakfast pastries makes for the perfect beverage pairing.
As a company known for its coffee, we utilize a unique brewing technique for our iced coffee. Our special cold-drip process helps to protect the flavor and strength of our brews by maximizing the taste and minimizing the acidity. This process was pioneered by our very own Phyllis Jordan, and it is still used to brew all of our famous Cold Brew Iced Coffee™ today.

Franchise Support
A Team as Reliable as the Coffee We Serve
Our PJ’s Coffee franchise development team strives to extend our modern southern hospitality to franchisees, managers, and baristas to ensure they receive the same quality treatment as our customers. We believe the human connection is a crucial element of a sustainable company. That’s why we have a support team that’s friendly, easy to communicate with, and prepared to answer all of your questions.
Coffee is the source of our inspiration and we hope it will inspire you to create a refreshing experience for your employees and customers. Below are some of the resources we can provide you with on your journey to successful coffee shop franchise ownership.
Site Evaluation & Lease Procurement
We offer assistance through a systematic site selection and lease procurement process. Our internal team, along with knowledgeable retail real estate brokers, assist with site identification, site evaluation, letter of intent submittals, lease negotiations and lease review. From demographics to traffic counts, we utilize market intelligence software to help ensure the site meets specific PJ’s criteria.

Design & Construction
We also offer assistance through an efficient design and systematic construction process. Our knowledgeable staff of project managers and our network of professional consultants will work closely with you to develop creative alterations and design configurations to adapt to opportunity space requirements.
Training & Education
PJ’s welcomes franchisees and their teams with open arms. We pride ourselves on customer service and strict operational standards. That's why we developed a multi-level training program delivered by way of online training; classroom training; and on-site, hands-on training at your location. We are committed to spending the necessary amount of time with your team and empowering them with our culture, passion, and drive to deliver the finest southern hospitality experience.
Product Distribution
We’re proud to be involved in the vertically integrated process of procuring and producing simply the best coffee, from farm to cup. PJ’s harvests only the finest 1% of Arabica coffee. Strategic partnerships afford us the opportunity to distribute our coffee from our roasting facility in New Orleans to your store in a timely and cost-effective manner, and all in the best interest of our franchisees.
Ongoing Operations & Consulting
We bring you year-round operational consulting on an individual unit basis to ensure that promotional campaigns, new or seasonal product rollouts, and new operational procedures are effectively communicated to you and your team. We are also committed to assisting you with regular, ongoing P&L analysis to ensure operating expenses are in alignment with your sales.
Marketing & Promotions
We understand the importance of developing marketing and promotional campaigns designed to enhance brand awareness and drive customer traffic. From quality PJ’s products and exceptional service to the memorable experiences our franchise development team creates, we deliver comprehensive, turn-key promotional campaigns that highlight the true essence of the brand.

Why Franchise with Us?
The Benefits of Working in the Coffee Industry
Pursuing an investment in the coffee industry is one of the best ways to gain success. After crude oil, coffee is the second largest traded commodity in the world and is the source for 75% of America’s caffeine. The $48 billion dollar US industry continues to grow as the average American consumes about 3.5 cups of coffee every day. 64% of American consumers drink coffee daily.
The PJ’s Coffee Difference
PJ’s takes pride in - serving single-origin coffees driven by passion, not costs. That’s why we only utilize the top 1% of Arabica beans and never keep our coffee on the shelf for more than 90 days. This short shelf life helps preserve the fresh, bold taste of our gourmet roasts. We’re proud to lead the industry in sourcing methods with a focus on supporting sustainability from farm to cup. For instance, by working directly with farms like Finca Terrerito Farm in Honduras and Agua Fresca in Nicaragua, PJ’s is able to cut out the middleman and give that extra margin to our coffee farmers and their families.
The human connection is the soul of who we are and what we serve. As a company that focuses on hospitality and the human connection, our franchisees know we’re there for them through every step of the process, from the first inquiry call to the grand opening.
We look forward to helping you achieve both personal freedom and professional goals while you provide a unique, southern hospitality experience for your customers.
Franchising Overview
- Franchising Since
- 1989 (32 years)
- # of employees at HQ
- 60
- Where seeking
-
This company is seeking new franchisees in the following US states: Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Mississippi, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia
- # of Units
- 123 (as of 2021)
Franchisor Information
Information for Franchisees
Here’s what you need to know if you’re interested in opening a PJ's Coffee of New Orleans franchise.
Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees
Here’s what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.
- Initial Franchise Fee
- $25,000 - $35,000
- Initial Investment
- $198,000 - $578,000
- Net Worth Requirement
- $300,000 - $750,000
- Cash Requirement
- $100,000 - $250,000
- Veteran Incentives
- 20% off franchise fee
- Royalty Fee
- 5%
- Ad Royalty Fee
- 2%
- Term of Agreement
- 10 years
- Is franchise term renewable?
- Yes
Financing Options
Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.
- Third Party Financing
- PJ's Coffee of New Orleans has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee, startup costs, equipment, inventory, accounts receivable, payroll
Training & Support Offered
Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.
- On-The-Job Training
- 50 hours
- Classroom Training
- 40 hours
- Ongoing Support
-
Purchasing Co-opsNewsletterMeetings & ConventionsGrand OpeningOnline SupportSecurity & Safety ProceduresLease NegotiationField OperationsSite SelectionProprietary SoftwareFranchisee Intranet Platform
- Marketing Support
-
Co-op AdvertisingAd TemplatesNational MediaRegional AdvertisingSocial MediaSEOWebsite DevelopmentEmail MarketingLoyalty Program/App
Operations
Additional details about running this franchise.
- Is absentee ownership allowed?
- No
- Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit?
- No
- Can this franchise be run part time?
- No
- # of employees required to run
- 8
- Are exclusive territories available?
- No
Franchise 500 Ranking History
Compare where PJ's Coffee of New Orleans landed on this year’s Franchise 500 Ranking versus previous years.
Additional Rankings
Curious to know where PJ's Coffee of New Orleans ranked on other franchise lists? Find out below.
Franchise 500 Ranking
Top Franchises for Veterans
Want to stay updated on the latest franchise news?
Never miss a beat when you sign up to receive our newsletter.
We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy
Related Franchise Content
Catch up on the latest franchise news, trends, and more.
Entrepreneur Franchise of the Day: American Freight
American Freight is a retail company that sells furniture, mattresses and home appliances.
Entrepreneur Franchise of the Day: My Business Venture
My Business Venture helps small businesses improve efficiency and exposure to become more profitable.
Free Webinar | April 5 How To Start Building Your Franchise Organization
Interested in franchising your business but curious to know what the process is like?
Entrepreneur Franchise of the Day: Griswold Home Care
Griswold Home Care was founded in 1982 to help people remain independent in their homes.
Entrepreneur Franchise of the Day: X-Golf
This exciting new indoor golf center and bar concept offers a fun experience for both the die-hard golfer and everyday amateur.
The Top 5 Franchises of 2021 From the Entrepreneur Franchise 500
These five franchises managed to survive the challenges of the pandemic with ingenuity and powerful brand trust.