Legendary Specialty Food Retail Chain Spirals’ into New Markets, Seeks Franchise Partners

Atlanta, Ga. – For nearly 50 years, The HoneyBaked Ham Co. and Café has served as the nation’s leading legendary specialty food franchise, famous for sweetly glazed spiral-sliced ham and other quality meats. Now, after years of a corporate growth model, The HoneyBaked Ham Co. and Café is focusing on local franchise ownership. It recently launched aggressive plans to grow in select markets around the nation with expanded year-round store offerings, including café seating and unique catering services for area businesses.

“As long as a market meets the demographics and consumer lifestyle of the HoneyBaked expansion model and criteria, we will consider forming partnerships with the right franchise candidates,” said Ken Caldwell, Vice President of Franchise for the Atlanta-based HoneyBaked Ham Franchise Co. “Given the strength of our powerful national brand loyalty, the right local store operator in these markets will already have a head start in building a solid base of customers.”

Caldwell emphasizes that HoneyBaked will continue to offer its centerpiece items – glazed hams and turkeys – as well as its traditional side dishes and desserts. However, he noted that the franchise concept’s full name is “The HoneyBaked Ham Co. and Café,” which means all franchise Café locations will have indoor seating, offer hot and cold sandwiches, soups, fresh salads and freshly baked cookies – offerings that extend beyond Christmas, Thanksgiving and Easter.

Founded in 1957, The HoneyBaked Ham Co. is attracting significant interest around the nation since unveiling its franchise expansion strategy and Café concept. With a total of 365 stores in 37 states around the country, including 280 company-owned units and 85 franchise locations, HoneyBaked has set its sights on opening new units in 100+ markets around the nation that fit its model criteria.

The HoneyBaked Ham and Café offers several different opportunities to help capture year-round business. In addition to its famous fully prepared, spiral-sliced, tender HoneyBaked Hams, popular for decades of Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter seasons, HoneyBaked also offers an extensive line of specialty meats, side dishes and desserts that make special occasion meals and everyday dinners a break from the ordinary. Thousands of businesses also purchase HoneyBaked Hams and gift certificates throughout the year as ideal gifts for their customers and employees. Also year-round, HoneyBaked offers a wide variety of signature sandwiches, salads, soups and side dishes that can be enjoyed for lunch in their comfortable café settings, or delivered to businesses and other group events in boxed lunches, platters and buffets.

“I consider myself to have the ideal franchise business,” said Kelly White, owner of HoneyBaked Ham and Café in Silverdale, Wash. “My store brings in consistent sales year-round from café dining, catering, special occasions, everyday dinners and corporate gifting, as well as a nationally recognized and trusted brand highly sought after during the holidays. Because of the nature of the products, I don’t have the expense and headaches associated with a large cooking staff and kitchen operations. The best part is lifestyle and flexibility. Like most HoneyBaked stores, we are closed on Sundays and only operate from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. in non-holiday months. HoneyBaked Ham proves that you can combine owning a business with a healthy family and personal life.”

An ideal franchisee candidate for The HoneyBaked Ham Co. and Café is passionate about the HoneyBaked brand, committed to community, and has an entrepreneurial spirit, Caldwell said, noting that community outreach is critical to attracting and retaining year-round, loyal catering clientele. “Our recipe for our franchise owners is simple. It’s all about believing in the brand, knowing your market, and building relationships in the community.”

About The HoneyBaked Ham Co. and Café
Founded with its first store in 1957 in Detroit, Mich., HoneyBaked Ham has grown to become the most recognizable and trusted brand in America in the specialty food retail category. Today, 365 HoneyBaked Ham stores operate in 37 states, with plans to open HoneyBaked Ham and Café locations in more than 100 new markets through franchise expansion in selective towns around the country. In addition to sales of its famous spiral-sliced, tender HoneyBaked Hams and other quality special meats for holidays and everyday occasions, HoneyBaked Ham stores also offer our Café menu, business catering, and corporate gifting. For more information, visit
www.honeybakedfranchising.com.