QSR Start-Up's Part II
In the 2nd installment of our “QSR Start-Up” series we focus on the hurdles, both professional and personal and find out who our QSR leaders admire most.
Steven Marks, Guzman Y Gomez (8+ stores) www.guzmanygomez.com
Q1/. What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome at the start?
Re-educating Australians about real Mexican food while trying not to run out of money.
Q2/. How do you keep your product unique?
All of our marinades are made from chillies sourced from Mexico. And GYG’s food is prepared using traditional Mexican cooking techniques.
Q3/. Who do you admire most in QSR (either a chain or an individual or both)?
The success of Chipotle in the US, in conquering both Mexican and the QSR segment.
Luke Baylis, Sumo Salad (75 stores) www.sumosalad.com
Q1/. What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome at the start?
The most challenging part of starting up our business was running a franchise system dealing with many different individuals who have different wants, needs, skill sets and attitudes.
We learnt to pitch our training to the strengths and weaknesses of new franchisees who came to us from varied backgrounds and cultures. We extended this learning to the ongoing support provided to them by the operations team.
Q2/. How do you keep your product unique?
We want customers to understand that fast food can be healthy and nutritious. SumoSalad aims to educate consumers so they understand that they can get fresh, healthy and delicious food that is fast and reliable. We are constantly challenging ourselves to offer consumers a diverse menu that reflects trends and demands in the market.
We also offer all our customers a unique Design Your Own menu options which allows them to pick and choose every ingredient that goes into their salads- no cheese, extra lettuce, hold on the salt! These sort of innovative options mean than the customer controls every element of what they are eating, something that is very hard to come by on the fast food circuit!
Q3/. Who do you admire most in QSR (either a chain or an individual or both)?
I admire Ray Croc for his foresight and business acumen.
Carl Harwin, wowcow 1+ store (www.wowcow.com)
Q1/. What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome at the start?
New to Aus and having to find my feet whilst trying to establish a new concept that hadn't been tried and tested before with an offering that was unique to Australian culture (and still is).
Q2/. How do you keep your product unique?
Our super chilled yogurt is a proprietary blend that has been formulated to our specifications so the recipes and ultimately the taste of each flavour is very unique to wowcow with other products on our menu like a Moothie (yogurt based smoothie) or a Wow Stick (Baked churro) for example, we try and make sure it's all about quality and taste and if possible we offer the healthy alternative.
Q3/. Who do you admire most in QSR (either a chain or an individual or both)?
As a corporate model, I would say hands down it would be 'In & Out Burger' in America and as a Franchise, what Mc'Donalds has been able to achieve on a global scale is astonishing.
Wayne Homschek, CEO, Pie Face (35 + stores) www.pieface.com.au
Q1/. What was the biggest hurdle you had to overcome at the start?
Getting the format correct and proving the model worked. Finding good locations. Raising capital.
Q2/. How do you keep your product unique?
Our faces are simple and powerful. My two year old daughter sees a face on a pie and says “pie face”. We wanted to develop something everyone could relate to; yet still be considered cool/irreverent/quirky.
Q3/. Who do you admire most in QSR (either a chain or an individual or both)?
McDonalds, Tim Hortons and all of the others who took their time building great store formats and business models.
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