Will Coyne is all in on scaling systems—and now he has the opportunity to showcase this as the chief operating officer of newly franchised coffeehouse concept Ella Café.
“That’s really the focus,” Coyne said. “Implement the systems, create a clean line of communication and have the right people in place to help support.”
Coyne joined Ella Café last June, about a year into the brand offering franchise opportunities. The franchise, founded in Plantation, Florida, in 2016, has three corporate units operating in the state.
Franchise units are in development, including a 12-unit agreement for Florida signed in 2024. Two of those are scheduled to open within a few months, Coyne said.
Prior to Ella Café, Coyne worked as the vice president of business operations for BurgerFi, where he was responsible for providing strategic leadership and oversight across the fast-casual burger chain, then at 80 units.
Will Coyne is the chief operating officer at Ella Café.
He also worked in leadership roles for Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, managing multiple units in Florida and the Northeast.
Joining a brand without any franchise units open could leave some feeling wary, but Coyne sees opportunity to scale.
“In my past with other brands, it’s kind of hard to tap into a market—burgers, pizza, food. Everyone’s got food everywhere, right? It’s hard,” he said. “Coffee is unique in the sense that there’s a need for it almost everywhere. I think we can exploit that need, pop up and become a neighborhood coffee shop almost anywhere.”
Despite the possibility of “anywhere,” Coyne and his team are being pragmatic about development.
Plans are to establish a corporate base—between 10-12 units in southern Florida¬—in tandem with franchise growth.
“I’d like to grow more like a vine than leapfrog in the country so we can at least sustain and provide resources to franchisees and go from there,” Coyne said. “I think with establishing the base with ourselves and opening our own restaurants … the resources and the training and the systems we have in place will be able to assist as we grow.”
The key to developing these systems? “Consistency,” Coyne said.
“One of the reasons I was brought in is you need to make sure the consistency holds up as you scale,” he said, “making sure the training, the step-by-step process of how things are done is consistent across the board so that it’s easy to model in franchises when they open.”
Coyne said his team is working on implementing consistent systems and a training framework for franchisees as well as adding to its leadership team.
He believes the product quality of Ella Café’s menu is already there, highlighting the brand’s coffees, matchas, teas, sandwiches and pastries, so Coyne’s making sure the concept is duplicatable across Florida—and eventually, beyond.
Consistency also factors into how he views relationship-building efforts with the company’s first set of franchisees.
“It’s super important. It’s establishing the relationship they need to feel that they’re supported, providing them with the right people in those positions of support that know what is needed to aid in those systems and communicate complete transparency,” Coyne said. “We want to make sure we’re able to support them in any way. If they’re hurting, we’re hurting, so we want to always stay ahead of that.”
Ella Café expects to open up to six units this year, with about half of those franchised.
The brand will continue seasonal operations out of Hard Rock Stadium, home to the Miami Dolphins, and Coyne said the company looks to establish relationships with other major sports teams.
“We have some great unit operators that have been with the brand and are starving to learn and grow, and they’re in the perfect spot to do that,” Coyne said. “One of the things I enjoy is seeing people that have worked with or under me get to that next step. It’s the perfect opportunity because as the restaurants grow, there’s more opportunity for the leaders in them.”