Rosie's Chicken revolutionises 'bolt-on QSR' concept
The 55+ outlet business revealed a new salad bar.
Rosie’s Chicken is a growing “add-on” business that lends out a hand to small businesses to be able to compete against bigger franchises in the fast food industry. The brand strives to maintain a unique co-branding approach to each business installed across the country, to ensure its successful operation.
Below is a Q&A with David Coles, Managing Director of Rosie’s Chicken.
QSR Media: How did Rosie’s Chicken start?
David: Rosie's is NOT a franchise but uses all the primary ingredients that make franchises successful for a fraction of the cost. Rosie's is a complete high-profit branded concept that comes with everything you need, training, equipment, signage and what has proved with time out to be...the best product of its type on the market.
QSR Media: What kind of customers does the brand cater to?
David: We offer Rosie's as an Add-On business only to existing takeaway outlets at this stage. Mainly regional communities but increasingly to fuel sites on major highways around Australia. Rosie's works anywhere but we are finding the best way to elevate what is now a rapidly growing brand, is to concentrate on tourist locations and major traffic routes, away from the larger metro areas.
QSR Media: What is unique about Rosie’s Chicken?
David: We eat a lot of spicy and predominantly flavoured Asian food and this influenced the direction of our seasoning blends. We did lots of testing and came up with a flavour that was "Out there". It is quite predominant. KFC is really quite bland by comparison and this is what most people compare us with. Our Co-branding approach to each business is unique. Essentially, we do a complete makeover of the whole existing fast food operation, inside and out. Immediate and very exciting profit lifts to all categories.
QSR Media: What are your key business philosophies?
David: We thoroughly enjoy the reaction of clients and their customers to the introduction of a new Rosie's into their business. We frequently get quite overwhelmingly positive results. It's a great feeling helping small businesses compete against larger franchises and making an honest living at the same time. Rosie's is an affordable option for any small business. It’s a blast taking on the big boys.
QSR Media: What kind of investment is required to install a bolt-on like Rosie's?
David: Investment costs range from $25,000 to $45,000 depending on equipment requirements. Many businesses have equipment in situ that can be used to reduce costs substantially.
QSR Media: What are the brand’s recent developments?
David: Our salad bar is fairly new but has gone ballistic. Rosie's is not the cynical "salad bar because we needed to have one" to appear healthy, ours actually sells tons of our cold sandwich and salad products. Rosie's flavours intensify in the cold range and everything is made fresh daily and ready-to-go. We also use high quality Lebanese and Turkish breads. These are our biggest sellers in some sites.
QSR Media: What are the challenges that the brand is currently facing?
David: Our biggest problem is finding capable operators with clean, well-managed businesses. The operator is critical to success, just like any franchise and good ones are few. We don't have the same capacity to police and control consistency as KFC and Macca's do because our cost structure precludes this. Many people have approached us to build Stand-Alone franchises. We have had numerous enquiries from Asia to do this as well. We're looking at this provided we can end up with a low-cost alternative.
QSR Media: What are the brand’s goals for 2013?
David: We are in the middle of a program to develop our social media options. This is free advertising for all our outlets.
QSR Media: What steps will be taken to attain these goals?
David: A store-locator app is now ready as we have many people who complain they can't find a Rosie's after trying it somewhere in their travels. Our Facebook page is offering interesting feedback (both good and bad) from all our sites....very good to have the whole world watching...keeps our operators on their toes.
QSR Media: Any additional comments?
David: Things are pretty exciting. Rosie's is only chicken but people can't seem to get enough of it. It's nice to have people talking about it.
