On the cusp of hitting the 50 store mark, specialty coffee chain Zarraffa’s Coffee has celebrated a bumper year at the company’s National Franchise Conference.

Franchisees, Management and Board members gathered at the Sheraton Noosa Resort and Spa, Noosa for the three day conference that culminated in the awarding of the 2011 Franchisee, Rookie and Store of the Year honours at the gala dinner last night.

The awards went to:

Franchisee of the Year

Bruce Fullerton and Elissa Hutton from Zarraffa’s Coffee Upper Coomera, won previously in 2009

Rookie of the Year

Bill and Claire Zavos from Zarraffa’s Coffee Hope Island

Store of the Year

Brendon Lord and Judy Lord for Zarraffa’s Coffee Redcliffe, a consecutive year win with the store also taking out the Award in 2010.

CEO Kenton Campbell said the Upper Coomera store, who also boasts the 2011 Zarraffa’s Barista of the Year, is led by two dynamic and hard working franchisees that epitomise the company’s brand of business.

“Bruce and Elissa deserve the recognition of being our Franchisee of the Year”, said Mr Campbell. “Since opening in 2007 they have consistently performed and exceeded company standards.”

The business theme for this year’s annual National Franchisee Conference was ‘Immerse Yourself’, encouraging franchisees to immerse themselves in their business and to embrace the motto of the conference: ‘Live It, Breathe It, Own It’.

“Educating our franchisees on the importance of ‘immersing themselves’ in the day to day really does pay off, as evidenced by the winners of this year’s Awards and their business philosophies,” said Mr Campbell.