In Focus

Chief marketing officer, Lara Thom, looks back at the success of #BringCalHome, and explains the importance of brands having a personality.

Learn how the U.S.-based brand will set itself apart in Australia’s fast casual dining arena.

In an exclusive interview with QSR Media, international president Liz Williams explains the principles behind their expansion plan.

The donut brand shares their excitement in entering new markets.

The restaurant chain looks to their sauces to give them the competitive advantage.

International president Liz Williams says the "more mature" Australian market is now ready for the global brand. After a couple of attempts to kickstart their presence in the country, the popular, youthful brand intends to stay after finding recent success with a clearer and more deliberate strategy. “Years ago, when we went into some markets – the markets weren't ready for us. And they weren’t ready for Mexican-inspired or the Mexican category in general. It was too niche. People didn't know how to eat a taco. We still see this in markets today," Taco Bell international president Liz Williams said in an exclusive interview with QSR Media. Aside from a clearer strategy, Williams said a more mature market that was open to different food types also made a difference this time. “Today, you go into a market like Australia - the Mexican category is well-defined and well-loved and so I think that’s has been the #1 differentiator from years ago when we did it." Williams also cites Taco Bell’s local franchise partner Collins Foods and its regional team for bringing the “perfect expression” of the brand in the market. “I think that clarity [in the brand strategy] is going to make a difference this time,” she remarked. The U.S.-based brand also sees potential in their international market for a thousand units over the next couple of years. But despite their master plan of global aggressive expansion, Williams says they are in no rush – emphasising the need for proper partnerships. “[We’re] taking time to go to the market in the Taco Bell way. It’s easy to do that because you see so much opportunities. Taking the time to find the right partner, getting the right site are really important, and getting the scale. It takes time to go under the market and get the partnership and to have that scale.”  

But how should competing brands that feature the Hawaiian dish separate themselves?

The global burger's upcoming centre in the country is poised to be a hub for food and IT innovation. QSR Media caught up with Jason Marker, Global CEO of the brand (and an Aussie!) and International President Ned Lyerly of CKE Restaurants to find out what’s next:

Needing a quick bite no longer means eating unhealthy.

Zarraffa’s Coffee's founder and managing director Kenton Campbell said that IT plays a significant role as the brand expands into New South Wales and further into Western Australia. With 80 stores so far across Australia, Zarraffa's Coffee has invested significantly in human resources and developed an in-house IT team, in addition to a dedicated Business Analyst to interact with real time KPIs, providing clarity for sound decisions across the business.

Foddies' mission is to unite and bring people together through freedom of food choices.

From its inception, the conversation on the use of chatbots in 2018 continues to be a polarising subject.

The brand is trialing the use of digital menu panels which are slated to roll out across all new stores and refits in 2018. Obvious print production savings aside, the digital menu boards allow Bucking Bull to be more agile in relation to menu and product innovation.

Combo items, special discounts, and the daily special – whether people dine out or stay in, a customer wanting a good deal has always been a sure thing.

An emerging burger concept with a plan to launch a fourth site this April - Burger Love has recently become the first Australian fast food restaurant to adopt cryptocurrency in its stores. The burger brand is now accepting the top ten digital currency, XEM. Head of marketing and branding at #burgerlove, Steve Agi, said, “Cryptocurrencies are the future of trade. It is a fascinating concept that our clientele is already on board with and we’re ready to stop watching from sidelines. We’re giving our customers the freedom to pay with a currency of their choice, which is telling of how we like to approach the customer experience at #burgerlove; we’re globally known as trendsetters and market leaders, once again we are on the forefront of the new, the exciting and the cutting edge.” XEM is the digital currency of blockchain technology platform NEM. Unlike some cryptocurrencies, XEMs are environmentally friendly as there is no “mining” involved like Bitcoin. It is also secure with built-in spam protection that manages to shut down spammers without taking down the entire network and has a standalone wallet guests can download on their phones or computers. “Australians are familiar with Bitcoin, but less so when it comes to other digital currencies like XEM. Associating with something people love, like burgers, will help integrate it into the economy more broadly and drive consumer engagement.”

The brand feels that its values, identity, and storytelling are still crucial to communicate its products and services.