See Healthy Habits' revamped catering plans

Multi-channel retailing will be unveiled.

Australian sandwich franchise, Healthy Habits, will be undergoing quite a number of changes to further the brand’s development. A new menu has recently been introduced, alongside refurbishments in their stores to refresh the brand’s look.

Below is a Q&A with Mark Buckland, Managing Director of Healthy Habits.

QSR Media: What’s new at Healthy Habits?

Buckland: A great deal! We have recently refreshed the menu again to remain relevant and it strikes a great balance between taste, price and simplicity.

We have also, in an evolutionary way, commenced refreshing our branding and stores are beginning the refurbishment process. We have redesigned our new store concept and the first model will be built soon in Victoria.

In addition, we will soon roll out a range of new products to add depth to our range in our core market. As if that is not enough, we will soon complete initiatives designed to make it even easier for our customers to engage and transact with us.

QSR Media: Your brand and menu overhaul, how are customers reacting?

Buckland: We are getting exceptionally positive feedback on the new look and feel of the brand. Customers are really liking the bright and fresh colours and the use of digital imagery to complement the food cabinet displays.

We have always been a visual business and new menu boards and digital screens are taking this to the next level. The menu change is really getting traction now and we are experiencing both customer count and average transaction value increases despite significant price competition from the majors.

Customers really are getting behind the brand as we show that we have been listening to them in terms of what they like about our brand and how we can better serve them in terms of product and price point.

QSR Media: What kind of difference has the brand and menu overhaul had to franchisee recruitment?

Buckland: It is still too early to tell on this at the moment as the initiatives have literally just been developed and launched during my past four months in the business.

I do expect, however, that we will see interest in our business, which is always fairly strong, increase off the back of our more competitive position, brighter persona and the work we have put into new store development to bring opening costs down.

QSR Media: Tell us a bit more about your catering plans, how will you promote and execute this service?

Buckland: We recognise that customers want to engage with businesses through multiple touch points. A limitation of our catering in the past has been its limited reach and awareness.

We are coming to the end of a project that will completely revamp the catering offer both in terms of range, price and consumer reach.

Using multi-channel retailing we will be able to cater to our customers in any way that they would like to transact with us, whether it be in person or via the internet.

QSR Media: Any other comments?

Buckland: It is an exciting time to be in QSR.

There is a great deal of price competition in the market but we are finding that it is possible to carve out a strong position in food courts by sticking to our central brand promise of “real food, real fast”.

Customers really are seeking fast, fresh and healthy food and they are finding this and more at our stores. Things can only get better in the next 12 months.