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FRANCHISE RESALES

Buy a Great Harvest Bread Franchise

Great Harvest Bread Company is a bakery cafe franchise founded in 1976 in Great Falls, Montana. The brand began franchising in 1978, establishing it as one of the longest-running whole grain bakery franchise systems in the country. Corporate headquarters remain in Dillon, Montana.

The model centers on daily scratch-baked whole grain bread milled from Montana-grown wheat, served within a full cafe offering. Franchisees operate cafes with menus covering bread, sandwiches, grain bowls, breakfast, baked goods, and coffee. Since 2017, the brand has offered only its full bakery cafe format, with expanded seating and a broader menu. The network also includes a hub-and-spoke structure, in which a central hub location bakes bread for distribution to nearby spoke locations.

In 2024, NewSpring Franchise, a private equity firm focused on food and beverage brands, invested in Great Harvest to support brand refresh and system growth. The franchise operates independently owned locations across the United States, with each cafe carrying the Great Harvest identity while retaining a locally run character.

Latest Resales

Why buy a Great Harvest Bread Franchise?

The case for buying a Great Harvest Bread franchise rests on nearly five decades of brand heritage in a food category where authenticity and quality drive repeat visits. The brand occupies a distinctive position in the fast-casual bakery space through its whole grain, scratch-baked bread focus, a niche that has benefited from sustained consumer interest in natural, less-processed food.

The hub-and-spoke model gives franchisees a structured path to operating multiple locations without replicating full baking infrastructure at each site. The Great Harvest Rewards app supports repeat customer retention within individual territories, and the 2024 NewSpring Franchise investment signals planned brand development that may benefit franchisees as the system refresh takes shape.

Great Harvest Bread Franchise Costs & Information

Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

  • Brand Profile

    • Year Founded

      1976

    • Franchising Since

      1980

    • New Startup Cost

      $591,742 – $871,077

    • Avg. Resale Price

      Contact us for details

  • Franchise Fees

    • Initial franchise Fee

      $40,000

      for new territories

    • Transfer Fee

      75%

      of the then-current Initial Franchise Fee, 50% for existing franchisee

    • Royalty Fee

      5%

      of Gross Sales

    • Marketing Fee

      2.50%

      of Gross Sales

  • Unit Performance

    • Total Units *

      155

    • New Units Opened *

      4

    • Units Transferred *

      14

    • Avg. Unit revenue *

      $965,873

    * Based on 2025 data reported in the 2026 FDD

Great Harvest Bread – Additional  Information

  1. Training & Support

    Training covers 93 hours of classroom instruction and 200 hours of on-the-job training, preparing incoming owners in baking techniques, cafe operations, marketing, and accounting. The franchisor provides ongoing operational guidance and marketing support, with franchisees connected to the broader Great Harvest network of independently owned bakery cafes. Resale buyers should confirm with Great Harvest what training and system access are provided to incoming ownership and any newly hired staff.

  2. Ideal Owner

    The Great Harvest model suits hands-on owner-operators with a genuine interest in food quality and community engagement. Prior foodservice or baking experience is helpful but not required given the structured training programme. Owners should be comfortable managing a small team of bakers and cafe staff, overseeing daily production schedules, and maintaining consistent product standards. A community-minded approach fits the brand's neighbourhood cafe positioning, where local reputation and repeat customer relationships are central to revenue.

  3. Recognition & Awards

    Great Harvest has built recognition across nearly five decades as one of the pioneering whole grain bakery franchise systems in the US, having launched franchising in 1978. TripAdvisor has listed Great Harvest as the #2 restaurant chain in the United States. The brand has maintained a loyal customer following through its community-focused model, daily scratch baking, and quality-first positioning. For resale buyers, brand-level recognition should be weighed alongside unit-specific reputation, local reviews, and community visibility within the territory.

  4. Industry / Market

    The US bakery cafe segment serves steady consumer demand for fresh, minimally processed food. IBISWorld reports the US bakery cafe market saw a 0.3% compound annual growth rate between 2019 and 2024, reflecting a mature but consistent category underpinned by consumer appetite for whole grains, artisan products, and locally sourced ingredients. The whole grain niche benefits from sustained health and wellness awareness among daily bread consumers. For resale buyers, key factors include local foot traffic, area competition, and proximity to health-conscious consumer demographics.

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