Oporto CEO’s first year reshapes brand and network strategy
The iconic Australian chicken chain is also planning to revamp its signature burger.
More than a year into the top job, Therese Frangie is refocusing Oporto on its core menu, franchise relationships, and brand identity as the chain navigates cost pressures, intensifying competition, and shifting consumer behaviour.
Operators continue to face pressure from rising costs and potential food price increases, forcing them to balance maintaining profit margins with keeping menu prices acceptable to customers.
In this Q&A, Frangie reflects on her first 12 months in the role, detailing her initial priorities and how these have evolved, alongside the challenges of managing a national network and what she sees as key to driving growth in the year ahead.
How are you positioning Oporto for growth in today’s environment?
Tasty, high-quality food and a strong value proposition. We’re investing back into our core menu and improving our hero products, including a soon-to-launch revamp of our iconic Bondi Burger with a new bun and creamier mayo.
We’ve also just launched our new Portuguese Crispy Burger! And when we say Crispy, we mean Crispy! It’s tasty with bold Portuguese flavours and quality ingredients. It’s just one of several delicious products we have coming down the pipeline. Head to Oporto to try it, it’s a limited-time burger and you don’t want to miss out.
You’ve been in the role for over 12 months now. What were your top priorities when you stepped in, and how have they evolved?
The first was reconnecting with our franchise partners. I worked at Oporto eight years earlier, but in that time, the network had grown to more than 175 franchise partners. I was keen to reconnect with long-standing franchisees and meet many new ones; understanding their stores and their challenges has been essential.
The second was rebuilding the brand. From the sidelines, I could see the opportunity to reignite what makes Oporto special. We’re the largest Portuguese QSR chain in Australia, known for bold Portuguese flavour and quality food. I wanted to rebuild a brand people feel excited about again.
The third has been bringing the whole system together. Our support office teams, ops teams, franchise partners and restaurant teams are all focused on delivering great food and service and reigniting the fire and passion behind the brand.
What has been the biggest challenge so far?
There has certainly been no shortage of challenges! The scale and diversity of the network are one. We operate nationally, and every restaurant and franchise partner is different. We’re also navigating cost pressures, intense competition and changing consumer behaviour.
Spending time listening, building trust and having open conversations across the network has been critical. And like most challenges in business, it’s also an opportunity to learn, adapt and come back stronger
What will define success in year two?
Continued growth for our franchise partners. When their businesses thrive, the brand thrives. I’m incredibly grateful to our franchise partners and the Oporto teams across restaurants and the support office. Their passion and commitment to the brand are what drive Oporto forward every day.
