Frequently Asked Questions About Franchising

Absolutely. The best decisions start with a good conversation. Just sign up, even if you’re still exploring your options. Franchise recruiter Merel is happy to help you figure things out, with no obligation. Sometimes it takes a while before you’re ready to take that step—we’re here to help you through the process.

With a franchise, you get the best of both worlds: you run your own business, but you’re never on your own. You start with a proven concept, a recognizable brand, and a network of experienced franchisees around you. Instead of figuring everything out on your own, you can focus on what really matters: your guests and your team.

Planet Friendly is the guiding principle behind everything Anne&Max does: good for the guest, good for the employee, good for the world. You can see this reflected in the menu (more than 95% organic, more than 75% vegetarian), the specialty coffee sourced directly from coffee farmers in Peru, and the way franchisees run their businesses: thoughtfully, with commitment, and with an eye toward the long term.

As a franchisee, you have several ways to contribute your ideas. You can join a focus group or the franchise council, or participate in a pilot program or project currently in development. All franchisees gather once a year at the Anne&Max Franchise Day: an opportunity to learn together, share experiences, and help advance the business model.

Anne&Max is a values-driven concept. Everything we do—from the menu to our communications—is rooted in five values: caring, committed, honest, open and transparent, and respectful.

Our mission is to be a living room in the city, where guests can experience small moments of carefree happiness. Our vision is to grow into a national and international chain that brings people together in a positive way. These values are reflected in everything we do: from running our business with Planet Friendly s to the way we give our franchisees the freedom to bring Anne&Max to life in their own cities.

Anne and Max aren’t real people, but the story behind their names certainly is. Anne&Max was founded in 2005 by Wobbe van Zoelen, who called his business plan “Plan Anne” at the time, simply because he thought it was a nice name. His search for fair-trade organic coffee led him to Max Havelaar. Today, the employees at restaurants are the real Annes and Maxes.