Nestlé Toll House Café offers cookies, baked goods, ice cream, smoothies and coffee under one roof.

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With approximately 70 different menu items, Nestlé Toll House Café has established itself as “America’s premier dessert café,” Vice President Mitchell Moore declares. “We take all the different dessert segments – the cookies and baked goods, the ice cream, the smoothies and the coffee – and we bring them home under one roof.”

Founded in 1998, the company has 109 franchise locations nationwide that sell items made from Nestlé products, including its Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels. “We really try to look at providing a one-stop shop for the customers,” Moore says, adding that its popular items include Nestlé Toll House Cookies and Cookie Cakes. Its locations range from 400-square-foot kiosks to 2,000-square-foot full cafés.

The Nestlé Toll House concept appeals to a broad customer base, ranging from families to young professionals, Moore says. “Every customer that comes by, no matter where they’re from in the world, has a connection to Nestlé and the Nestlé products,” he states.

Franchisee Focus
Moore joined Nestlé Toll House Café three years ago. Previously, he gained extensive experience at numerous restaurant firms, including Golden Corral Corp., where he developed its buffet concept. “It’s a great place to be from,” he says.

At Nestlé Toll House, Moore says he saw the opportunity to join an established firm and continue its growth. In addition, the company’s concept had a strong appeal to him.

“Our whole business is putting smiles on people’s faces, and it just doesn’t get much better than that,” he declares.

Moore’s previous experience also includes time as a franchisee, which has proven useful when working with Nestlé Toll House’s franchises. “I understand the other side of the equation,” he says.
Nestlé Toll House Café seeks franchisees who are willing to be outgoing within their communities.

“They have to want to have an impact with their neighborhoods,” Moore says, explaining that its franchisees participate regularly in local organizations.

“We’re also looking for individuals that have a good business head on their shoulders,” he continues. Some mistakenly see franchises as businesses where they can come and go as they please, but “we instead look for people that have that drive of an entrepreneur.
“These individuals are willing to work hard and develop their own business community in the early years.”

Growing the Toll House
Nestlé Toll House Café is preparing to expand its product line in collaboration with the Edy’s and Dreyer’s ice cream brands, which are both owned by Nestlé. “We have some great new promotions with them,” Moore says, explaining that these will include new, handmade ice cream sandwiches.
Nestlé Toll House Café also plans to grow beyond the United States.

The company is moving forward with franchise agreements in Canada, and “We are working in 12 countries in the Middle East and hope to have locations open in mid- to late-2009,” Moore reports.

“Our five-year goal is to be at about 350 units in the United States,” he continues, adding that the company wants to open the same number of locations overseas. “We see ourselves being able to firmly do that.”

Sharing Locally
Nestlé Toll House Café makes charitable contributions regularly, Moore says. This September, the company teamed with Children’s Miracle Network and Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. to donate more than 50 toy bears to children’s hospitals.

“We’re now working on a very large program with Children’s Miracle Network for 2009,” he says, noting that the organization works with Nestlé Toll House’s franchisees.

“Bottom line is that Nestlé Toll House Café is truly the first, best place for anyone to get their favorite dessert treat, including cookie cakes, ice cream, smoothies, coffee and just about any other great American dessert you can think of,” he says