Staff Reporter

Promises the “Coolest Drive Thru” experience.

This Monday 26th March Competitive Foods Australia and Yum Restaurants Australia will meet in court over the closure of 15 KFC franchised stores.

We ask industry analyst, Bettina Kurnik from Euromonitor, here is what she has to say.

Krispy Kreme is now available in 5 NSW McDonald stores. A company spokesperson at McDonald's commented "The McCafe range has included doughnuts for many years. Krispy Kreme doughnuts are currently available as an additional choice in McCafe at five restaurants in NSW on a trial basis. At McDonald's we are committed to delivering a range of choices for our customers. These include options like the Low Fat Apple & Oats Muffin in McCafe and a choice between salad or fries with every Extra Value Meal.".

Baskin-Robbins have just launched a new range of smoothies & frozen yoghurts (Click here for the story). Find out more in this mini Q&A with their GM, Ian Martin.

In this interview with Gloria Jean's coffees Gareth Pike, CEO Pacific, we find out how it is revolutionising their business.

If less trans fat and sodium means less flavour, how do executive chefs strike a balance between maintaining the taste profile and following regulators? They share their thoughts with QSR Media, and the executive chefs are unanimous in their response. The answer is going natural. Mark Baylis, Executive Chef of Unilever Food Solutions, says, “Flavour can be improved by the addition of natural flavours and herbs to boost and compensate for salt reductions. Trans fats can be replaced with good fats like olive and canola oils which are better for you and can also improve flavour overall.” This is echoed by Adam Moore, Corporate Executive Chef for Campbell Arnott's Asia Pacific. “Major ingredient companies are also developing more natural ingredients that support flavour in the manufacture of product,” notes Moore. Meanwhile Carole Holroyd, Wendy’s National Product Development Manager, says, “There is also significant research and development currently being undertaken in the food manufacturing sector looking at alternatives for ingredients including sodium chloride.” That is what Unilever Food Solutions is doing to address the taste issue. Baylis explains, “From a supplier view point we are noticing that our QSR customers want to see reductions in both trans fats and sodium levels to address the demand from their consumers. Whilst this can have an impact on the overall dish, we find small changes or substitutes can be made to maintain the taste profile.” For Crust Head Chef Peter Augoustis, on the other hand, going natural is staying far away from additives. He states, “Staying as close to harvest and far away from processed will automatically avoid nasty additives and maintain quality and freshness.” According to the Head Chef, they work hard at Crust to stand by their motto of ‘life should be delicious’. “One way we do this is sticking with fresh produce which naturally steers us away from additives,” says Augoustis. As there is a compromise that needs to be made between what’s healthy and what’s tasty, QSRs and suppliers are working closely in this regard. Holroyd says, “At Wendys we’re focused on the science and very aware of the strong business case for being able to provide a range of products which meet expectations when it comes to taste and nutritional profiles. We work very closely with our suppliers in this area and it remains an ongoing focus for change and improvement.” The Coffee Club also relies on its relationship with suppliers to ensure the taste profile is maintained amidst pressure from regulators to reduce trans fat and sodium. “This is achieved by working closely with The Coffee Club’s Supply Partners and setting a close specification on all products. We firstly develop the flavours, work closely with the Team to ensure we are doing the best we can to recipe engineer all products around the guest lifestyle choice,” explains Executive Chef Dan Forrest. Another way of maintaining flavour, according to Moore of Campbell Arnott's Asia Pacific, is by looking at the whole menu item and what goes well with the other ingredients and combining them for the best taste profile -- minus the trans fat and sodium. No doubt it’s been a challenge for QSRs and suppliers alike, but research and development is playing a key role in achieving a harmonious healthy-tasty relationship in food offerings. “As most people know, salt and fat result in flavour – reducing these while maintaining a good taste profile is a challenge for everyone in the food industry. Looking at alternative sources for flavour such as natural concentrates or extracts is one way of maintaining flavour,” says Holroyd of Wendy’s.   

Mad Mex have ambitious growth targets for 2012 to at least double their store count. Find out in this interview with their CEO and founder Clovis Young how they are going to get there and how their business is changing.

Hungry Jack's has recently launched its College of Executive Development (CED).  This is one of the initiatives that is promoted through JEDI, their internal platform for engagement, training and communications. QSR Media has a closer look at JEDI and particularly the College of Executive Development in this Q&A with their CEO, Aaron McKie. 

In this exclusive interview RFG's CEO Tony Alford outlines the rationale behind the recent purchase of Pizza Capers and their plans for the future.

Going healthy is certainly among the trends; executive chefs tell QSR Media more.

SMH recently found out in an article they published on Pie Face, titled "Meaty idea makes millions for ex-Wall St banker". Click here to read the full feature.

Sumo Salad recently announced their collaboration with celebrity chef Pete Evans. This interview with both Pete & Luke touches on the rationale behind the move, what their expectation is for the range and how the industry is changing.

Pie Face received excellent publicity recently when they appeared on the David Letterman Show. Having recently opened their first US store near the David Letterman theatre this was a natural fit. Click here to watch the video.

Pizza Capers has been dominant in QLD for many years, they are now extending their brand to other parts of Australia. QSR Media sat down with Scott Geiszler, their co-founder to find out how they are bucking the retail trend, we asked Scott:

On 26th Jan, Australia Day, Pie Face opened their first US store. This is also their first store out of Australia, commenting on the launch Ben Macpherson their CMO stated "New Yorkers are adopting our offer. We have had a very positive response from customers who appear to love the food and coffee. The meat or savoury pie has had very little traction in the US until now, even though its incredibly popular in Australia, the UK and other parts of the world. The bottom line, a pie done well (like Pie Face does), is a great lunch/snack/dinner option. We think Pie Face has got the right combination of product mix with our bakery café offer as well as pies (especially great coffee which is hard to find in the US), fun brand, and ability to educate the customer through retail stores to drive market penetration. Even though the US is a highly competitive market, there are no pies (as we know them) and certainly nothing like Pie Face. Its still very very early, but the initial response is extremely encouraging with opening store sales surpassing expectations".