Another Cuppy’s Coffee Franchise Allegation on Rip-Off Report
March 19, 2008 by Sean Kelly
Filed under CUPPY'S COFFEE
(FranchisePick.Com) The controversial Cuppy’s Coffee franchise opportunity and allegations about its affiliated supplier, Medina Elite Manufacturing, are once again causing a stir on the blogosphere. And while several blog posts at BlueMauMau are generating discussion, rebuttals and more questions, yet another allegation has appeared with the same allegation as at least 11 others have made:
Source: Rip-Off Report
Report: Cuppy’s Coffee And More And Elite Manufacturing Company
Philip, Cottonwood, California Submitted: 3/18/2008
My partner and I researched franchises and decided on a Cuppy’s Coffee and More franchise to be put in Texas. We sent the down payment to Elite Manufacturing that was requested of us ($35,900). After trying to obtain financing for our partnership failed (due to one partner that was overextended) we requested our down payment back from Elite Manufacturing. We were told by Elite to change our partnership so that one partner had 80% ownership and the other had 20% and we could get the loan. We are a 50/50 partnership not an 80/20 partnership. We tried to get other financing and we could not get any other financing.
Elite and Cuppy’s have refused to give my money back, and I need to know who else have these people ripped off and how can we band together and take care of these thieves.
Recent Related Posts on Blue MauMau:
(Me) Cuppy’s Coffee Franchise Allegations Are Disturbingly Familiar
(R. Purvin) Some Words From AAFD On Cuppy’s Coffee and Elite Manufacturing
(ME) AAFD: Franchising Watchdog… or Lapdog?
Recent Related Posts on FranchisePick.Com:
March 19th, 2008 Cuppy’s Coffee Responds to Franchise Allegations
March 18th, 2008 AAFD: Franchising Watchog… or Lapdog? Part 2
March 17th, 2008 AAFD: Franchising Watchdog… or Lapdog? Part 1
March 17th, 2008 Disturbing Allegations About Cuppy’s Coffee Franchise All Too Familiar
March 13th, 2008 AAFD Award Caffeinates Growth of Cuppy’s Coffee Franchise
February 27th, 2008 Cuppy’s Coffee Opens 1st Franchise in Eastern PA
February 16th, 2008 Cuppy’s Coffee, Elite Manufacturing Franchise Complaint on Rip-off Report
WHAT DO YOU THINK? SHARE A COMMENT.
Sean, 11 distinct complaints or 11 reports?
If this person contacts you, could you get him to talk with me or Bob.
We have to get to the bottom of this.
These appear to be 11 distinct people/groups in different locations with very similar stories. Most of them are very specific, giving names and details. Here is the running list with links to the original claim:
http://www.franchisepick.com/franchise-controversies/cuppys-coffee-franchise-elite-manufacturing-medina-complaints/
I was open for 8 months and sadly didn’t make it. You have to sell ALOT of coffee to pay the rent on 2500 SF. Elite did not provide all of the the equipment in the equipment package that they sold me. The main (2) items that were missing were the custom pastry cooler and the lighted sign that belongs over the drive-thru. Not as sad of a story as some of the others on these sites….I thank God that I didn’t mortgage my home to finance the losses.
It may take a while to recover…..
Still healing in Arlington
Just between my previous post on this blog and now I have received an email from the BBB notifying me of a response to my complaint from Cuppy’s. I find that such a coincidence to be highly suspicious. Anyways, I am informed that my complaint should be against Elite Manufacturing, not Cuppy’s. Perhaps this is true, and I will be filing a complaint today against Elite. I more believe it to be a case of misdirection though since both Cuppy’s and Elite are owned by the same parent company, Medina enterprises, and that Danny Jones, the man manner of us have been “negotiating” with is a Cuppy’s employee, per Cuppy’s press release detailing their South African expansions.
http://www.buyusa.gov/southafrica/en/474.html
It does seem to be a shame though that no one at Cuppy’s could have responded to this complaint in a timely manner. Their entire strategy seems to consist of stall, stall, stall.
how do we all band together for a class action suit?
Cookie, please email me at cmenz@comcast.net regarding litigation and other ideas.
There are more people out there that want their money back. Someone needs to post big and bold on yahoo or google and start the saying Cuppy’s Coffee Drive thru Scam. We have to stop them before they ruin more people’s lives. Please
Jill:
It’s not for lack of trying:
http://www.franchisepick.com/category/cuppys-coffee/
http://www.franchisepick.com/category/java-jozcuppys/
http://www.franchisepick.com/franchise-controversies/cuppys-coffee-java-joz-elite-manufacturing-medina-blogliography/
It’s not easy to offset a PR machine and supposedly Franchisee organizations that give them awards so they can take more money from the unsuspecting.
If they don’t pay the people still owed, I understand UnhappyFranchisee.Com is going to start an email campaign. I hope you’ll take part.
Does Cuppy’s Coffee or Elite Manufacturing owe you a refund? Provide an update at: Does Cuppy’s Coffee or Elite Manufacturing Owe You Money?
CUPPY’S COFFEE: Interview With Franchisee Rick Noem Rick Noem tells how he gave Cuppy’s Coffee a deposit of $125,000 in March, 2008 shortly before Dale Nabors took over. He’s been unable to get even workeable plans or his phone calls returned, much less construction. Meanwhile, he’s gone broke paying $6000 a month rent and a $3000 monthly loan payment on a business that hasn’t been built.
CUPPY’S COFFEE: List of Locations, Status Here’s the location list from the Cuppy’s website. I’ve started adding closed locations, and those who paid but never opened. Contribute additions or clarifications with a comment or by emailing unhappyfranchisee[at]gmail.com.
Cuppy’s Coffee Overview Here’s a central page with links to Cuppy’s Coffee franchisee interviews, stories, documents and information. Direct people here to get them up to speed on the Cuppy’s Coffee story.
CUPPY’S COFFEE, Java Jo’z, Elite Manufacturing, Medina Blogliography Franchise Pick’s links to Cuppy’s Coffee, Elite Manufacturing, AAFD, & Java Jo’z related posts.
Been trying to get a refund for moneys paid to Elite and Cuppies for a new franchise. I followed the termination documents and they came back to saying I’m not eligible for a refund because they didn’t do anything wrong, It’s been a year and they still will not refund or provide me service. Does anyone know if they filled bankruptcy and if so where. Do you have any contact information on them so we can file class lawsuits against them.