An environmentally friendly Victorian-based dry cleaning business has plans to build a national franchise network. Founder Paul Littmann told Franchising the Daisy H2O Dry Cleaning brand is a carbon neutral dry cleaning business, thanks to a process that has been modified from European methods.
The company’s green credentials have recently brought on board corporate clients such as L’Oreal, Aesop, the Melbourne Arts Centre and the Victorian opera. “We’re the only dry cleaner to win a work cover award,” he said. In addition to the dry cleaning process the company claims 100 per cent green energy usage, driving bio-diesel vehicles.
Littmann said Daisy H2O Dry Cleaning has been endorsed by the Asthma Council and has a certification from the Dry Cleaning Green Council in the US.
“Physical location counts for local business,” he said, “but if 40 percent of customers are some distance away they will come because we’re green.”
To start the franchising expansion Littmann is focusing on Victoria before moving interstate and launched its search for franchisees at the Franchising and Business Opportunities Expo in Melbourne.
“We wanted to go into franchising because it needs individual owners in stores, the profit is in running it. A couple can do exceptionally well,” he said.
The brand will be a niche franchise he added. Unusually for a dry cleaning business the premises show the bright daisy logo and counter, with no clothes on display.
A franchisee will need to fund an investment of about $200,000 including working capital for a turn key operation.