Sept - Oct 18 Feature - Food Glorious Food

VOL 12 ISSUE 06 sept/oct 2018

F ood, F ood s u o i r o Gl FASTA PASTA

A FRANCHISE OF VALUE good eATS:

WHY BRAND MATTERS IN FOOD Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand 35

what’snew!

Muffin Break’s Commitment to the War on Waste Muffin Break, a coffee and bakery franchise, has made their commitment to reduce their impact on the environment.

Ever wonder what happens to your takeaway coffee cup at the end of the day? Each year, Australians use around one billion disposable coffee cups, the majority of which end up in landfill.

On average, just one of those coffee cups will take around 30 years to biodegrade. It’s an underground mountain of plastic that’s only going to get bigger if we don’t take action.

Muffin Break’s motto is that the ‘Good Goes In,’ from freshly ground coffee beans, to award-winning brew and famously fresh baked goods, made in-store daily.

It’s now about making a commitment to sustainability and the community that the brand loves serving, which is why they have just launched two new initiatives aimed at reducing the coffee cup waste stream.

For every takeaway coffee or hot drink sold by Muffin Break, they’ll pay to have one cup recycled by Simply Cups. Most takeaway coffee cups can’t be recycled easily, due to the combination of paper and waterproof plastic. Simply Cups work with innovators to solve this problem. They’re collecting disposable coffee cups from all over the country and giving them a second lease on life as a new recycled, and recyclable, product.

With 210 Muffin Break stores across Australia, the brand believes they can take 11 million cups out of landfill.

NeNe Chicken has come to Darwin!

NeNe Chicken, the undisputed Kings of super crunchy Korean fried chicken, have opened an outlet in 247 Trower Road, Casuarina, Darwin.

The Casuarina store will be the most northern

store in Australia and takes the total of NeNe Chicken outlets to 14 stores in total.

NeNe Chicken is fried at a sizzling 175 degrees to become super crunchy on the outside and soft and tender on the inside.

Surprisingly, NeNe Korean fried chicken is served not only in the tasty ‘original’ flavour but offers an extensive selection of five other tantalizing flavour toppings as well. You can choose your own NeNe Korean Fried Chicken flavour taste explosions with original, snowing cheese, swicy, freakin’ hot or snowing vegetable. NeNe Korean Fried Chicken is also available in a boneless meat option too.

But wait, the choices don’t stop there! As NeNe loves to celebrate all that is Korean Fried Chicken they also offer their fried chicken devotes - burgers, fusion tacos, wingettes & drumettes, wraps, lunch box options and even soft serve (a choice of sesame or green tea flavours) for dessert. Also stay tuned for a proposed delivery service for NeNe Chicken, so you can get your delicious Korean fried NeNe Chicken delivered, succulent and spicy, direct to your door.

With locations across Australia, Korean fried chicken lovers can get their delicious fix of NeNe Chicken in Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales, Western Australia and now the Northern Territory.

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Roll’d fuelling Murdoch’s brightest with new store at Murdoch University

cuisine available in the new Student Hub of Murdoch University. Widjaja believes the brand will be extremely well received by some of Murdoch’s brightest minds.

Widjaja said of the learned location, “it is a unique market and offers the opportunity to work with students and make delicious food for students. We are confident that Roll’d Murdoch will be the pioneer for more fresh, healthy food offerings at universities across WA.” Roll’d began with a single store in Melbourne’s CBD back in 2012. Since then, Roll’d has gone from strength to strength launching close to 70 stores in six years.

Growing up surrounded by delicious food and family, Roll’d is inspired by co-founder Bao Hoang’s Mum and Aunt’s home style Vietnamese cooking.

Vietnamese juggernaut Roll’d has just opened its newest WA store at Murdoch University to great excitement (and hunger).

Roll’d Murdoch is lead by Raymond Widjaja, a small business owner since 1998 who loves the “rewarding and challenging” nature of being part of a successful brand.

One of Australia’s quickest growing fast-casual dining restaurants, Roll’d celebrated its first on campus offering in WA by serving up fresh, delicious Vietnamese street food to ravenous students for free.

“It is a space where you can dream, work and determine your own destination,” he said of his Roll’d franchisee family.

Roll’d offers the first authentic Vietnamese

Now located in Victoria, New South Wales, ACT, South Australia, Queensland and Western Australia, Roll’d is continuing to grow and is looking to expand their Vietnamese offering to overseas locations later this year.

Roll’d is bringing the concept of family made Vietnamese street food to Australia.

With a fresh, innovative and quality offering alongside a memorable experience, Roll’d was ranked fourth on the AFR’s Fast Starter (recognising Australia’s highest turnover businesses less than four year’s old) in 2016 and continues to thrive.

VEGANS, SAY CHEESE! Zambrero introduces vegan cheese to the menu across Australia “Grate” news plant-based-diet-lovers, Zambrero launches today its vegan cheese. The premium quality, non-GMO, and gluten free vegan cheese will be available as a regular menu item across all 170 Zambrero restaurants in Australia…and what’s more it’s permanent!

Australia is the third fastest growing vegan market in the world.

Having seen an upsurge in popularity of its other vegan alternatives, including a spiced cauliflower filling, Zambrero made the unquestionable decision to continue to expand on its ability to cater to all dietary requirements.

Carrying out a not-so-secret, state-wide trial in Victoria earlier in the year, Zambrero received an overwhelmingly positive response to the new menu item and requests flooded in for a national roll-out. Bianca Azzopardi, Zambrero CEO comments; “Across the industry we have seen an increase in the desire for veganfriendly products, not only by vegans but also those that are lactose intolerant and health conscious. We know it can be tricky to find consistency in plant-based alternatives, especially that taste really good,

and we continue to aim to position Zambrero as the first choice for a healthy, vegan-friendly meal.”

Zambrero’s vegan cheese is made with coconut oil and has a cheddar flavour. It does not contain lactose, whey, or casein, making it suitable for customers that are lactose intolerant or avoiding dairy products. It also contains no soy or palm oil.

From bowl to burrito, taco to quesadilla, vegan cheese can be added to any product as an extra for $1 and is currently available across the country.

Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand 37

what’snew!

SumoSalad enters voluntary administration

Oporto Launches in Sri Lanka In conjunction with Master Franchisor, Ataraxia Capital Partners, Oporto opened its first restaurant in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in mid-September 2018. To launch Oporto into market, Ataraxia secured a prime location in the first ever international Food Atrium in Colombo, at the newly built Colombo City Centre Mall. In early 2019, Oporto will also open in ShangriLa’s One Mall Food Atrium, which is widely expected to be a pre-eminent destination for foodies.

Australia’s leading premium quick service restaurant business is on a journey to create the most ‘craveable’ food experience on earth.

With authentic Portuguese heritage and an Australian upbringing, Oporto has an adventurous spirit with feel-good flavour that’s ‘craveably’ different.

Natural born explorers, the Portuguese first visited Sri Lanka nearly 500 years ago in 1505 and are credited with introducing chilies to Sri Lankan cuisine. Fast forward to 2018, the authentic taste of Portugal will be available with Sri Lanka’s first Oporto restaurant.

Craig Tozer, Oporto CEO, said “For over

30 years Oporto has been serving Aussies our famous Bondi Burger and flame grilled Portuguese chicken. We are so proud of our Portuguese heritage and Australian upbringing, and we aim to feed millennials’ appetite for food adventure to become the most craved food experience on earth. It is an honour for us to now share our passion with Sri Lankans.”

The Food Atrium caters to the foodie generation who want more out of their dining experience. It will house 15 outlets both local and international, and patrons will be able to choose from authentic Indonesian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Sri Lankan, Malaysian and Singaporean cuisine as well as fusion of Western selections.

Partner and Co-Founder of Ataraxia Capital Partners, Sharad Sri, said “Sri Lankans are very excited by the entry of Oporto into the market. For many years Sri Lankans have asked for Oporto to come here. It really celebrates our love of chicken, Portuguese heritage and of course chilli. We have always loved the Oporto brand and are really delighted to add this to the existing Ataraxia Foods portfolio.”

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Australian salad bar chain SumoSalad Group has been placed into voluntary administration by its management as part of a long-term strategy to “restructure and extend the brand into grocery and convenience,” according to a media report.

The restructuring process is expected to take 35-60 days with the 85 SumoSalad stores continuing to trade as normal during that period. It is anticipated that a Deed of Company Arrangement (DOCA) will offer creditors with “the best possible outcome” and maintain positive relations with suppliers and partners, according to Sumo CEO Luke Bayliss, who cites legacy issues and retail lease renewals are cited as drivers for the restructure.

The move comes on the back of SumoSalad Group putting two of its companies, Sumo Westfield Leasing Pty Ltd and Sumo Leasing Pty Ltd, into administration in 2017 in an attempt to force its retail landlord into lease payment negotiations.

Red Rooster and FoodBank Join Forces to Fight Hunger in Australia Red Rooster and Foodbank have joined forces to fight hunger in Australia, with the roast chicken champions officially partnering with the country’s largest hunger relief organisation in the 2019 financial year.

The first major fundraising event for the partnership will see volunteers from Foodbank and Red Rooster’s parent company Creative Brands collecting donations at the brand’s namesake racing event – the Virgin Australia Supercars Red Rooster Supernight 300.

Taking place at Eastern Creek’s Sydney Motorsport Park, on Saturday 4th August,

the Red Rooster Supernight is the perfect opportunity for Red Rooster to launch their alliance with Foodbank, showcase their sponsorship and draw as much attention as possible to this very worthy cause.

Red Rooster CEO Nick Keenan has said: “Red Rooster is proud to be embarking on this

partnership with Foodbank. As a family brand that has proudly fed Australians for almost five decades, Red Rooster is totally aligned with Foodbank’s message and mission and we are honoured to have the opportunity to make a difference to the lives of those who need it most.”

The Coffee Club rewards coffee lovers for taking a stand against waste The Coffee Club has announced a nationwide franchisee commitment to offer a 50 cent discount on hot beverage purchases when customers bring their own re-usable cups into The Coffee Club.

The discount, offered in all The Coffee Club stores across Australia, came into effect last month, and has the potential to save Australia’s nation of coffee drinkers up to $130 a year.

In the wake of consumer demand for businesses to put their ‘green’ foot forward and reduce waste, The Coffee Club has offered Karma Cup refills for many years and wants to extend the environmentally friendly option for customers to also bring in their own reusable cup. The initiative hopes to further help make a difference to the estimated one million disposable coffee cups dumped in Australian landfill every year.

Peter Collier, The Coffee Club Stockland Caloundra, said that his team were proud to be part of an initiative that was rewarding Australians for taking a step in the right direction to reduce waste.

“The move to reusable coffee cups is a trend we’ve seen with our locals and regulars for a long time – it’s nice to be able to give back and reward them at the same time,” Mr Collier said.

“Obviously disposable coffee cups are a huge cost not only to the environment but to our business as well, this is a great opportunity to trial what could be a more sustainable way of running our business.”

The 50 cent discount on coffee purchases when a reusable coffee cup is presented is now available in all stores across Australia.

Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand 39

FE ATUR E : FOOD & B EVER AGE

, d o o F d o o F s u o i r o l G Australians spend billions of dollars every year in the food and beverage industry, and that number is only increasing.

With food and beverage revenue increasing by 13.4 per cent per year, the amount that Australian consumers are spending on food and beverages is only going to skyrocket. With that in mind, it might be a great time to consider the benefits of purchasing a food and beverage franchise.

It was food and beverage companies that first introduced Australia to the concept of franchising, with McDonald’s taking the country by storm in the early 1970’s.

McDonald’s is still a major player in Australian and international franchising and has paved the way for more and more hospitality and fast food franchises to succeed in Australia.

40 Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand

Work For the Customer

Businesses like KFC and Pizza Hut soon joined McDonald’s, and since then the food and beverage industry within franchising has gone from strength to strength.

Since these early days, franchising has grown in leaps and bounds to include almost every industry and covers almost every product and service imaginable.

The food sector of franchising continues to thrive and grow, with food franchises representing a large proportion of the franchising industry.

Industry Leaders Most “Top 10 Australian Franchises” lists are dominated by hospitality, food and beverage franchises, with six out of ten being food and beverage businesses. There are numerous things to consider when purchasing any franchise, and hospitality franchises come with a unique set of considerations.

Janine Allis, founder of Boost Juice

explains, “first of all you need to fully understand what it means to be in food, particularly healthy food. You need to be aware of the FSC (Food Standards Code), TGA (Therapeutic Goods Association) and the Health Authority. Then you need to consider what the ACCC rules are and of course if you get into franchising there is also the FCC (Franchise Code of Conduct).

These are just a few of the governmental and industry bodies that have specific requirements when it comes to the food industry.

“This can all be very daunting and confusing, particularly when many of these bodies do not give you a clear answer on a question regarding the rules. But business always has its challenges. You need to just keep going, becoming a sponge and soaking up all the information you can possibly absorb. Information is key, because making a mistake in regards to any of the above Codes and Associations can not only cause massive fines, but can be terrible for the public relations of your business.”

CEO of McDonald’s Australia Andrew Gregory, says you need to fully understand your customer. “Listening and responding to our customer’s wants and needs through constant innovation have been key drivers to our success. This success places pressure on all parties who have a responsibility to consistently rise to the occasion each time and deliver an exceptional customer experience.

As we must deliver this leadership, we need our franchisees to do the same.

Having dynamic individuals that are able to create high performance environments within their organisation/s is crucial. They must also be great brand ambassadors and run outstanding restaurants to deliver on our brand promise.”

Working in any hospitality business is hard work, and it requires passion and dedication in order to succeed.

Thankfully, Australian hospitality, food and beverage businesses are supported by enthusiastic and engaged consumers, and their love for food and drink is only growing stronger.

ings, od and trying new th fo ith w g tin en rim pe certainly “Australians love ex beverage industry is d an od fo ing his nc and the fra demand!” keeping up with this

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FE ATUR E : FOOD & B EVER AGE

Additional to these numerous regulatory considerations, drive, passion and focus are also of paramount importance in order to help your food franchise succeed.

FE ATUR E : FOOD & B EVER AGE

“Australians are luck y to be living in a multi-cultural societ y, with influences from around the world creating a rich mel ting pot of ideas and tra ditions – particula rly when it comes to food.”

International Flavours Australians are lucky to be living in a multicultural society, with influences from around the world creating a rich melting pot of ideas and traditions – particularly when it comes to food.

Established European cuisine inspired franchises such as La Porchetta are being joined by fresh, new franchise businesses offering flavours from around the world.

Roll’s has been offering up delicious Vietnamese cuisine to consumers around Australia, NeNe Chicken has introduced us to the joys of Korean fried chicken, and franchises like Zambrero and Mad Mex have made Australians fall in love with good quality, fresh Mexican food.

Australians love experimenting with food and trying new things, and the franchising food and beverage industry is certainly keeping up with this demand!

We Love Coffee Café culture is becoming the backbone of most Australian cities and towns, with Australians coming to expect the best quality café food and coffee wherever they go. Franchises like The Coffee Club, Oliver’s, Theobroma and Gloria Jeans are taking café culture to the masses, providing customers across the country with the desired café experience.

There are ever-expanding opportunities for people interested to buying into this beloved café culture through an established and successful franchise network. Being able to develop a business you feel passionate about with the back of a big brand might be the ideal way to break into the hospitality industry!

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Explore Your Franchise Options It is the perfect time to start exploring your options when it comes to a food and beverage franchise, and Business Franchise Magazine has a wealth of information to help you along the way. Check out our Franchise Directory for a full list of all available food and beverage franchises to help get you started!

One of the best things about researching food franchises is that you can just drop in and eat. You can scope out multiple locations, check the quality of the food and the uniformity of the franchise network.

What better way to get a feel for the industry and enjoy some delicious food along the way?

“Franchises like Th e Coffee Club, Oliv er’s, Theobroma and G loria Jeans are taki ng ca fé culture to the mas ses, providing cust om er s across the country with the desired ca fé experience.”

Look out for our next special feature:

health, fitness & beauty franchises 42 Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand

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“Whether it be through dealing with one of the big banks, or engaging the services of a boutique financial services company, every business and franchise will need to be in contact with financial services at some point.”

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NFC18

MELBOURNE 14-16 OCTOBER 2018 Discover the ingredients to your success and unlock your potential This year, the National Franchise Convention is putting the focus on the most important ingredients for franchising success: your people.

Because at the core of any successful franchise are happy and profitable franchisees, satisfied and engaged customers, enthusiastic innovative leadership team.

To find out how you can be a part of NFC18 as a sponsor or exhibitor, contact Peter White on 03 9508 0811 or peter.white@franchise.org.au

REGISTER NOW! For more information and to register, visit nationalfranchiseconvention.org.au

Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand 43

FE ATUR E : FOOD & B EVER AGE

Fran c h is o r I n D ep t h : Fasta Pasta

“Having worked for Fasta Pasta at restaurant level, I could see first-hand the style of company it was, in the way they conducted themselves both with the public and also with the support they gave to the franchisees. It is rewarding to achieve your goals in business, knowing you have the support of a strong, respected company behind you.�

Alinta Elson, Fasta Pasta Franchisee.

46 Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand

WANT TO STAY ON TOP OF THE LATEST NEWS AND WHAT’S HAPPENING AT THE FOREFRONT OF FRANCHISING?

Franchise BUSINESS

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FE ATUR E : FOOD & B EVER AGE

e x pert adv i c e

With so many successful stand-alone restaurants and cafés, it can be tempting for someone thinking about purchasing a food business to think that going it alone is a good option. However, there are many hidden benefits that come with owning a franchise brand in the booming food industry.

I was recently driving between meetings, I’d missed lunch and needed a quick snack

to keep me going, but I didn’t have much time. Quickly looking at my options, my eye was drawn to a popular food franchise and I chose that. Why? It’d be consistent in terms of quality, prepared quickly and I was familiar with the menu and their range.

Perhaps the food at a local, independent café might have been better but with limited time, why risk it?

This got me thinking about the value of brand in the franchising sector, and importantly, in the popular food market.

And it is popular. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, last year the average Australian spends $80 a week dining out – this is an increase of nearly one third on the $63 spend back in 2009-2010.

And this is tipped to continue to grow, particularly as the millennial market is now spending an average of $100 per week eating

48 Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand

out or ordering deliveries through services such as Uber Eats.

This trend is not unexpected. Consumers value ease, consistency and quality, and with people fitting more into their daily schedules, there is no doubt that restaurants and cafes are a popular choice for business owners to invest in.

There are many people making success out of independent restaurants and cafes - going it alone certainly has benefits, but it is important for anyone looking to purchase into this industry to consider the value of buying into a franchise network.

There are of course additional costs to enter a franchise network – there will be fees and royalty payments. This is important to consider and any aspiring franchisee must conduct due diligence to ensure

FE ATUR E : FOOD & B EVER AGE “For those considering buying into a franchise or taking an existing business into a network, there is no doubt there is a cost - but with that cost comes brand trust and awareness.”

they are aware of any costs, restrictions and conditions. That’s just good business practice.

While there is a perception for some purchasing into the food industry that the café they have their eye on in that busy hub of shops that’s just near a business park, schools and homes must remain a stand-alone business. It’s entirely possible to take a café or restaurant that operated outside a franchise network, into a network, alternatively an existing franchise location may be chosen or a location from scratch – particularly important in growth suburbs where infrastructure like shopping centres and business parks are being developed and constructed.

For those considering buying into a franchise or taking an existing business into a network, there is no doubt there is a cost - but with that cost comes brand trust and awareness.

Brand goes beyond reputation. Yes, reputation is important and being part of a franchise network will align your reputation with that of your franchisor. And while that is important, there are many, small elements that go into that brand and with them, the benefits of being part of a network including: • Human resource management. How will you hire, train and manage staff to ensure you are giving your customers

the best experience and are in-line with a myriad of regulation in the space of industrial relations, equal opportunity and occupational health and safety.

blink of an eye. People like familiarity and there is no doubt that many will seek out an established brand in order to provide that consistency and familiarity.

• Product range, research and development. What are the latest food trends your market might be interested in? What will they pay? Who are your customers? This research and development is vital to ensuring your product is what your customers want to buy.

There are never any guarantees in purchasing any sort of restaurant or café but with the benefit of a franchise network brand, there is a strong potential for success, and tapping into a time-poor market who value consistency, ease and quality.

• Marketing. A sandwich board and a flyer are unlikely to bring in new customers – what marketing might be needed such as social media, community sponsorship and loyalty programs.

• Look and feel. From team uniforms to layout of tables and chairs to lighting and decoration. Getting the right ‘feel’ is important to encourage people to stay and spend – getting it wrong can be costly.

• Processes. Food handling, food storage, operating coffee machines, cooking guidelines, handling complaints or refunds. Purchasing into a franchise network will give you access to the policies and procedures you need to run the dayto-day operations of a business.

• Consistency. Customers value walking into somewhere where they know they can get the chicken they like, the burger they want, the pasta they crave or their complicated coffee order made without a

FC Business Solutions is the only integrated consultancy focused exclusively on the franchise community. Our team of professionals has been providing specialised and expert services to franchises for many years.

The FC Business Solutions team are actively involved members of the Franchise Council of Australia regularly attending events, participating in committees and assisting in raising the profile of franchising in Australia.

FC Business Solutions is a business which has proudly been certified in accordance with the internationally recognised ISO 9001: 2008 management system which focuses our business on delivering a consistent level of quality to our clients defined by regularly reviewed processes and procedures. hello@fcbs.com.au (03) 9533 0028 www.fcbs.com.au

Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand 49

FE ATUR E : FOOD & B EVER AGE

pr o file : s implicity Loans & A dvisory

the specialists in franchise finance

simplicity loans & advisory After seeing a need for improved advice, support and expertise in the brokerage and property advisory industry, the directors of Simplicity Loans & Advisory decided to combine their 34 years of lending experience to create an organisation that could provide superior knowledge and service to a wide range of customers.

Simplicity is a boutique brokerage and property advisory business located in two locations across Sydney; one office space on Castlereagh St in the CBD and an office north of the city in Pymble. The team at Simplicity’s ultimate aim is to help their clients achieve their financial goals, ensuring the delivery of high quality advice and outcomes. Simplicity will always work in the best interests of their clients, supporting the alignment of all parties to a common goal.

Obtaining finance for buying a franchise can often be difficult, as many lenders hesitate to fund new franchises. The lending managers at Simplicity are experienced in securing franchise funding. They have established strong relationships with a large number of reputable lenders, offering tailor-made franchise financing packages that can help your investment succeed.

Simplicity understand what lenders are looking for and can assist in presenting your loan application in order to maximise your chances of getting approval for financing. The team at Simplicity can assist you in obtaining finance for any type of franchise, and this is supported by a wealth of experience with many major franchises, including but not limited to; McDonalds • Oporto’s • Pandora • Jax • Crust • Dominos • Pizza Hut • 7 Eleven • Zeus • BP • Subway Simplicity is heavily invested in providing tailored assistance to commercial and self-employed consumers, maintaining the utmost regard for both their commercial and personal requirements.

Simplicity pride themselves on providing assistance and support from day one of the finance application all the way through the life of the loan. The team at Simplicity can be considered small but mighty, consisting of nine dedicated and enthusiastic members ranging from experienced senior commercial bankers to innovative and progressive university graduates.

The team at Simplicity is seen as a major differentiation point from their competitors. In addition to having increased ability to turn over deals quickly and efficiently, they are able to cover all aspects of finance, from large scale commercial and construction facilities to small business loans to personal and equipment finance. Not only do Simplicity have these capabilities, they have team members

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who specialise in each of these areas, providing more knowledgeable and personalised advice and exceptional customer service to their clients.

The extensive knowledge base and support at Simplicity allows the team to cater to any need that arises, whether it be commercial property debt, franchise financing, cash flow lending or property development loans.

Since Simplicity’s inception in August 2017, the company has grown to a level that demonstrates performance scope well beyond its size.

Acknowledging that you can’t be everything to everyone, Simplicity was set up to meet the needs of mid-tier and corporate clients with all aspects of lending and advisory.

Having settled $200 million in the first 12 months of the business, the directors believe they have the right people in the right positions.

Simplicity has provided amazing client outcomes and customer service, which will continue to exceed expectations as deals and revenue continue to grow.

Simplicity’s success until now has been built purely on referrals and word of mouth from their broad network of professionals, a real testament to their level of service.

If you would like to talk to someone about your finance options or obtaining a franchise loan, do not hesitate to get in contact with the knowledgeable and helpful team at Simplicity Loans & Advisory! franchising@simplicity.net.au 1300 022 022

FE ATUR E : FOOD & B EVER AGE

Q&A sna ps h ot: H og’s Australia

with franchisee

Mark Allen

Multi Store Owner

Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand were lucky enough to have a chat with Mark Allen, multi-store franchise owner at Hog’s Australia for this issue’s Food and Beverage Feature.

Q What were you doing before becoming a Hog’s franchisee?

I was a 24 year old restaurant worker with ambitions to own my own restaurant. I was visiting Airlie Beach (the home of Hog’s) in 1991 and met the founder, Don Algie, on Hog’s first birthday. I had such a good time that night, I wanted in and 27 years later, I’m still all in.

Q What was it that attracted you to the Hog’s brand?

Hog’s is not just a restaurant, it’s a way of life. That’s true for the franchisee’s as much as it is for the customers. I saw joining Hog’s as a way to have fun and make money, and I have done lots of both.

Q What has motivated you to keep in the brand as long as you have?

Growing my business has always been a priority of mine, and in the restaurant game that means opening new restaurants. Hog’s has allowed me to expand, owning up to 7 restaurants in partnership at one stage. Hog’s is a really good brand for multiple ownership with fantastic systems and training that make that all possible.

Q What’s the best part of being a franchisee?

Being part of our Hog’s family of people, many of whom I’ve known for 10 and 20 years. Continual brand development. Terrific systems.

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Q And the hardest part?

I don’t always agree with all the decisions and directions that others believe in, but in a franchise group you have to follow that system.

Sometimes doing things that you don’t agree with is hard, but I’ve found that the wisdom of the group is better than the wisdom of the individual – even when I’m that individual.

Q What would your advice be to anyone considering a restaurant franchise?

Talk to existing franchisee’s, and do some time in a restaurant. Make sure that you like restaurant work because it’s too late to discover that you don’t like the work, the hours, the staff, the customers once you’ve bought into a Hog’s franchise.

Q What changes do you think we’ll see over the coming years in the hospitality industry?

Technological change is now part of all areas of modern life. It’s very hard to get your head around one technology (say Facebook Marketing), only to find all your customers have moved to another technology (like Instagram and Snapchat). However, it’s much easier when you have the support of a franchise behind you than trying to keep up with these changes on your own.

So right now, we have changes in marketing, ordering and accounting, reservation systems, delivery platforms, cloud systems, recruitment, customers preferences, all going on. And just when you think you’ve got one sorted, it changes again.

Q What do you attribute your success to mostly?

Firstly, I have a great business partner. Secondly, I am certain I wouldn’t have had the success that I have had if I’d been an independent restaurant operator. And there is not another restaurant brand in Australia with the same mix of fun, longevity & success. So I’d have to say that it’s due to the choice of Hog’s as a franchise that is the reason for my success. www.hogsbreath.com.au