Ziggi’s Coffee opened in 2004 on the corner of Fourth Avenue and Main Street. The franchise has now grown to include 50 new locations within the Greater Atlanta area.
When co-owners Brandon Knudsen and his wife Camrin opened the doors at Ziggi’s their dream was simple — to draw a paycheck from the business instead of living on tips.
“It was so hard in the beginning. There was absolutely no plan (then) to grow beyond that. We thought that was going to be it and just prayed that we could build it up enough to make a living,” Brandon Knudsen said.
In the beginning, Brandon Knudsen said, he and Camrin Knudsen were the only employees who worked from open to close daily.
“We had no business making it,” he said, referring to learning how to make coffee, which he claims he did badly. He also said they made bad decisions.
“But Longmont kinda wouldn’t let us fail. The community in downtown Longmont wouldn’t let us fail, they kept coming even though we kept making mistakes. They kind of drug us along for a bunch of years,” Brandon Knudsen said.
Even then Knudsen knew that he was part of a special community that would support him through the hard times. It is something he said he will never forget.
His story is the key to Ziggi’s success. The Knudsens began franchising the business in 2016. It now has 76 stores opened across the U.S. with 52 more stores slated to open in 2024. On Wednesday, Ziggi’s announced its biggest deal so far. The franchise is expanding into the Greater Atlanta area with 50 new stores.
"We are thrilled to embark on this journey, expanding Ziggi’s Coffee throughout the bustling city of Atlanta with a milestone of a development deal signing," said Brandon Knudsen. "This achievement speaks volumes about the dedication of our team and the loyalty of our customers. Our commitment to innovation, quality, and creating meaningful connections remains at the center of who we are, and we can’t wait to serve the Atlanta community with our 50 new locations."
“We are so thrilled to welcome this amazing group to the Ziggi’s family,” said Justin Livingston, VP of Franchise Development for Ziggi’s. “The Ziggi’s brand has experienced monumental growth, but with a focus on finding only the perfect franchisees to join the opportunity. Signing an agreement for 50 units with such an experienced group is tremendous validation to the systems and brand experience Ziggi's brings to markets. Closing a market to a single franchisee to develop is a decision we take very seriously and this team is the perfect fit. We look forward to seeing them grow the Atlanta market and continuing our pursuit of finding more incredible franchisees with an unwavering commitment to creating long-term mutually beneficial relationships.”
The expansion of the franchise will continue to benefit Colorado, Brandon Knudsen said. Ziggi’s headquarters is located in Mead and now has 31 employees working there, after hiring three new staff members recently.
Brandon Knudsen said they like to hire people located in Colorado and even promote baristas to work in the main office.
“It allows us to do more and build the brand,” he said.
He also said that the larger the franchise grows the more purchasing power the business has which allows the company to set better prices for its customers.
“We’ll never forget (Longmont’s support). It’s just a different place and people really do care about local businesses,” Brandon Knudsen said.
