BANGOR – The 27th annual Franchise 500 guide by Entrepreneur Magazine, published this month, placed Coffee News top in its advertising services category for the second year in a row and ranked it No. 129 overall.

“This recognition reinforces the growing popularity of our fun weekly publication,” said Bill Buckley of Bangor, U.S. franchiser for Coffee News.

The little, brown one-page paper, found primarily at restaurants, entertains people while they are waiting or eating. It’s good news “to be enjoyed over coffee” that serves up interesting stories, trivia, quotes, a contest, and announcements of local events, according to Buckley. Small and midsize businesses benefit through exclusive and affordable advertising that targets their local community, he said.

The idea for Coffee News came about in 1988, when Jean Daum of Canada placed her lunch order, then sat back to wait for the food to arrive. Bored stiff, she resorted to reading the information on the sugar packet. Suddenly it dawned on her, restaurants were missing the boat by not providing patrons with something to read for a few minutes while waiting for their food.

“Jean capitalized on the convergence of trends in the way businesses advertise, the way people get their meals and their expectation of entertainment,” said Buckley. The result is a popular and fast-growing publication in 52 countries, he said.

In 2005, U.S. franchise sales were up 70 percent over 2004, and with this latest news, growth should continue at this rate well into 2006, Buckley believes. Coffee News is now the world’s largest restaurant publication and the largest franchise publication with nearly 750 franchises worldwide.

Coffee News was also ranked by the magazine as the 23rd fastest-growing franchise. It was ranked 32nd among both home-based and low-cost franchises.