New dessert offering available to QSR's

Essential Brands Group has launched a new dessert for the QSR market which is a "bolt on" and enjoys an 80% profit margin. QSR Media sat down with Mike Koolen their CEO to find out more.

QSR Media: Tell us about Fruizee?
Mike: FRUIZEE is an Australian manufactured product developed for the treat and dessert market.

Devoid of any new products since the demise of Vitari in the mid nineties, soft serve is among the most popular products and amongst the top few profit makers in fast food and takeaway outlets. With changing tastes and an increased awareness of the content of traditional dairy based soft serve, EBG considered the time was right for a new and unique product.

EBG research indicated the product had to be non dairy, virtually fat free and low in calories.

Top of the list of consumer requirements was it had to be fruit flavoured. EBG worked closely with a Melbourne manufacturer who have provided various other product ranges to EBG to develop the four important flavours: Wildberry, Tropical , Strawberry and Mango.

FRUIZEE is a pre flavoured powdered ingredient that is packaged in a 1.5 KG bag hosting a two year shelf life. Mix with 4.2 litres of water to produce 9 litres of dispensable product at 60% overrun. Based on a menu price of $3.50 per serve the profit margin is 80% 

QSR Media: Why should QSR's consider Fruizee for their dessert offering ?
Mike: FRUIZEE is a new and different dessert concept. It will not be sold in the major international chains . It is an all inclusive Fruizee System providing equipment, product, POS merchandising all designed for QSRs who currently do not offer a frozen dessert.

FRUIZEE with an 80% profit margin and a negotiable window of exclusivity is the first real opportunity for a QSR to gain a competitive advantage and a point of difference in their dessert business.  

QSR Media: What support infrastructure would a QSR have access to ?
Mike: EBG would assign an experienced industry and market account manager to work with the QSR in implementing the menu addition. Encompassing supervision of the equipment rollout, in store training in all locations, and joint creation of point of sale material to generate dessert business. EBG are a one stop shop providing consumables, after sales service and good old fashioned customer service.

QSR Media: The look and feel of the machine, can this be customized to fit in with existing store design?
Mike: The Italian manufactured FRUIZEE machine has a retro look that attracts attention. The bright yellow, red and orange are a magnet to customers and can only enhance sales. Any change to the standard colour scheme is open to discussion in the event of a QSR rollout. A standout feature is the freezer's ability to dispense many serves in rapid succession. The high performance dual refrigeration system ensures the freezer recovers quickly to maintain efficiency in peak demand periods.  

QSR Media: What kind of investment is required?
Mike: For under $40,000 a QSR will add four FRUIZEE flavours to their menu . Two flavours would require an outlay of around $22,500. Dessert sales of 40 or 20 per day would recoup the investment in less than 12 months based on a profit of $3.00 per sale.

QSR Media: This isn't the only product you have, tell us a bit about the Essential Brands Group? 
Mike: EBG has been in business for ten years. It started as Espresso Essential a coffee and equipment company . EBG now roast our own coffee on the Gold Coast in a custom manufactured roaster. Essential Slush was added to the range to compliment the coffee business and has become a market leader. EBG operate nationally through a network of sales and support offices. EBG proudly boasts a customer list encompassing many of Australia's major customers.

QSR Media: What do you estimate the market size to be?
Mike: From our market experience we believe that dessert products can contribute up to 8% of a QSRs sales. Whilst FRUIZEE is a niche market product we believe it has broad consumer appeal and an affinity for those QSRs and foodservice operators looking to profit from dessert but with a more unique and healthier option. The demand in the non dairy and fat free segment has significantly increased in the past five years hence our development of FRUIZEE as there were few options.

QSR Media: Summer and warmer weather are approaching, how long does it take to get up and running?
Mike: Apart from very noticeable climate changes in some areas of the country, dessert consumption is a year round treat with higher demand in the months on either side of June and July.

This is because it is purchased and consumed in controlled environments as opposed to say a kiosk on the seafront in the middle of June. 

Once the fruit smoothie product is poured into the Fruizee machine it is a matter of 10minutes and you are serving the taste sensation of the summer to your customers

To find out more, contact Mike Koolen, CEO, EBG can be contacted on Tel 07 5507 5111 , Email: mike@ebg.com.au, Fruizee – the party in your mouth taste sensation, the summer attraction you just must have this year.

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Tags: fruizee, Mike Coolen