Great Harvest Bread – TURN KEY OPPURTUNITY – Stillwater, MN
Great Harvest Bread franchise for sale in Stillwater, MN
List Price: $250,000 USD
Key Facts
Annual Gross Revenue
$500,000 USD
Cash Flow (SDE)
Upon Inquiry
Seasonal Business
No
Value of Inventory
Less than $25,000
Value of Assets
Upon Inquiry
Year Established
2012
Business Operates From
A retail location
Location Is
Leased
Approx. Monthly Rent
$5,000
Total Employees
Less than 10
About this Business
A great opportunity to own and operate a well-established bakery-café in the growing Stillwater community. This turnkey business offers an established brand, loyal customer base, and multiple revenue opportunities through fresh-baked breads, bakery items, café offerings, and catering.
Why I Love My Franchise
Great bread. Great people. Great communities. Great business. Great Harvest combines a proven bakery concept with the flexibility to build a business that reflects its local community—with multiple revenue streams, strong franchise support, and a product customers genuinely love.
About Great Harvest Bread
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.
Franchisee 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.
Brand Accolades & 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.
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.
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.