MEDFORD, Ore., Dec. 8 /PRNewswire/ -- The Human Bean, an Oregon-based specialty coffee drive-thru franchise, has announced the opening of its 50th store. The November 14 grand opening of the new store in Mesa, Arizona marked a significant milestone in the nationwide expansion of the franchise. New stores in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho and Las Vegas, Nevada are slated to open before the end of the year. The Human Bean currently serves its brand of gourmet-roasted, fairly traded coffee, specialty drinks and baked goods in stores throughout Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon, Nevada and North Carolina, and the franchise has signed area development agreements totaling 168 new drive-thrus in the U.S.

"The opening of the 50th store is a significant event for us," said Tom Casey, managing partner of The Human Bean. "We started out with a single drive-thru and we grew from there, until we had nine stores and a solid system in place. It was then we decided to franchise our concept. We've enjoyed helping each and every one of our franchisees get their first stores up and running smoothly," Casey added.

The Human Bean, which began franchising in 2002, has developed a strong reputation for supporting its franchisees and giving back to their communities through charity efforts. With The Human Bean's relatively low start-up and operational costs and a "no royalty fee" franchise concept, franchise owners keep more money in their own pockets. And the communities served by The Human Bean and its franchisees also benefit through significant gifts to local charity organizations. This year The Human Bean and their franchisees gave more than $68,000.00 to local breast cancer charities, including gifts to local hospitals to provide mammograms and post-diagnosis support for low-income women.

"It's both an honor and a pleasure for me to open the 50th store for The Human Bean, because I believe the company offers an excellent product, an unbeatable return-on-investment and a commitment to service that helps franchisees build successful businesses while giving back to their communities," said Phoenix area franchisee Jeff Torkelson, who has already opened three stores in the Phoenix Valley and has plans for a valleywide expansion that will include a total of 25 Human Bean stores over the next five to seven years. The 50th Human Bean is located at 405 W. Main Street in Mesa, Arizona.

The Human Bean maintains its commitment to quality through active involvement in the entire coffee process, from the farm to the roaster to the drive-thru, ensuring that customers consistently enjoy a great cup of coffee.

Through the Farm Friendly Direct program, the company works directly with coffee farmers to promote conservation and sustainable growing practices that yield the highest quality coffee. The program also gives back to local coffee communities by allocating a portion of their payments to fund projects for education, infrastructure improvements and community services.

The premium coffee beans then go through The Human Bean's award-winning gourmet roasting process, which brings out the coffee's rich, smooth flavor. The company extensively trains each franchisee, further ensuring that customers across the country receive their coffee and espresso drinks perfectly prepared and in record time.

The Human Bean is now offering individual franchises and area development agreements nationwide for entrepreneurs and multi-unit investors who are looking for a proven business they can feel good about, from the heart to the bottom line. For more information see: http://www.thehumanbean.com.

About The Human Bean

The Human Bean opened its first store in Ashland, Oregon in 1998. The sustained success of their nine corporate stores inspired owners Tom and Tami Casey and Dan and Rhonda Hawkins to begin franchising The Human Bean brand and system in 2002. The Human Bean offers a royalty-free franchise system, an enticing brand and a proven, people-focused support structure that assists franchisees in opening and operating a successful specialty coffee drive-thru business.

     Media contact:
     Jennifer Allen Newton
     Bluehouse Consulting Group, Inc.
     503-805-7540
     Jennifer (at) bluehousecg.com

SOURCE The Human Bean