The Mais1.Café franchise is among the 50 largest in the country, according to the Brazilian Franchising Association (ABF), with 600 units in 25 states and 220 cities. The business model has increasingly attracted the interest of entrepreneurs who, when opening a store, face a challenge: the construction work to transform a physical space, such as a store or retail location, according to the standards established by the franchise.
At this stage, technology has been a huge help. Mais1.Café is a partner of Zinz, a Paraná-based platform that connects franchisees with construction companies and similar service providers. Entrepreneurs visit the Zinz website and request a quote, submitting the franchise's architectural design. The platform generates a reference estimate, which, once approved by the franchisee, is then released for service providers to submit their quotes and terms. The choice of the best option is up to the client.
For entrepreneur Henrique Marcondes Muniz, Zinz's recommendation was a lifesaver. "I'd never undertaken a project of this size, requiring so many professionals—masonry, electrician, plumber, carpentry, and joinery. It's not something I understand; I didn't know who to hire. Mais1.Café recommended Zinz, I contacted them, and the platform facilitated the entire process," says the entrepreneur.
Muniz opened his Mais1.Café store in the Moema neighborhood of São Paulo. The 56-square-meter store opened on July 19th. Construction took just over 30 days. In addition to assisting with the quotation and hiring of a contractor—the entrepreneur insisted on a company that handled all stages, from design to visual identity, including civil works—the service provided by the platform's team drew attention. "There was a contact asking if everything was being met," he recalls.
Another Mais1.Café franchisee, Márcio Cardoso and Carolina Tavares Cardoso, also chose to use Zinz as an intermediary to carry out the renovation work on their property into a coffee shop. Márcio and Carolina's 63-square-meter store is located in the Ipiranga neighborhood of São Paulo.
The intermediation meant, among other advantages, time savings. After all, it freed the entrepreneurs from having to make contacts, obtain quotes, and negotiate themselves. The service execution was also expeditious. "The store opened on July 5th, and the work was completed within the agreed deadline. The delivery met expectations," says entrepreneur Márcio Cardoso, who emphasized the service provided by the Zinz team, "always very objective and efficient."
