When it comes to marketing on a budget, there’s a fine line between terrific and terrible.

In the teeth of the recession, Back Yard Burgers developed a new, slimmed-down marketing strategy. The roughly 200-unit, Nashville, Tennessee–based chain cut costs across the board, developed a slick-looking website, and created a social media strategy centered on Facebook and Twitter.

But Ken King, a senior consultant with National Restaurant Consultants Inc., says this was a disaster.

Read more …

Gilt wears thin for Gold Brands franchise holders

Picture: Sunday Times

But this is only part of the problems making life difficult for Gold Brands, which is facing legal action from some franchisees and is itself suing a former investor.

David Roberts, a lawyer at Roberts Incorporated who represents nine Chesa Nyama franchise owners, said this week he is […]

9 NOV 2016 | SAVE | EMAIL | PRINT |  PDF    ISSUED BY: THE JUPITER DRAWING ROOM CAPE TOWN

Making global history, Burger King® South Africa announced that it will swap out disappointing lunches for a Whopper® at no cost to consumers on two separate days in November, the first being Tuesday, 8 November 2016.

With over 300 million photographs of food on Instagram alone, the world-famous burger chain is encouraging the existing practice of sharing images of food, but with a twist: only images of simple and […]

Johannesburg; Monday, 25 May 2015: “The Group’s stated goal, set down in 2013, was ‘To become Africa’s first choice integrated branded food services franchisor by 2015 by building capability across the business and providing a holistic solution to investment partners and consumers’. During the reporting period Famous Brands successfully concluded achievement of this goal through our ongoing strategy of leveraging skills and scale across all three pillars of the business – Brands, Manufacturing and Logistics,” comments Group Chief Executive, Kevin Hedderwick.

Click here to read the rest of the article …

Taste reels in The Fish & Chip Co

Taste Holdings announced today that it has entered into a sale agreement with The Traditional Fish and Chips (Pty) Ltd to acquire from it, the approx 170 franchised outlet business of The Fish & Chip Co with effect from 1 February 2012.

The purchase price of R66m includes all assets of the business including stock, trade debtors, the distribution centre and any payments paid in advance to secure new stores still to be opened.

“The seller is warranting that there will be at least 195 stores on the takeover date” said Carlo Gonzaga, CEO Taste Holdings, “and gross profits of at least R2.4m per month. This will translate into annualised systemwide-sales in excess of R300m.

Click here to read the rest of the story…

Starbucks Coffee comes to South Africa in 2016

• Starbucks announces an exclusive licensed partnership with Taste Holdings for the opening of stores in South Africa, the first in sub-Saharan Africa

• First store will open in Johannesburg in the first half of 2016, with more locations to follow

• Starbucks and Taste Holdings will design and build stores serving the entire range of Starbucks food and beverages alongside its advanced digital offer for customers

• The partnership will deliver Starbucks’ great coffee, innovative design and job opportunities

EMBARGO: Johannesburg, South Africa, 09:00 SAST 14th July 2015 – Starbucks Coffee Company and Taste Holdings today announced a licensed partnership that will see Starbucks stores open across South Africa. For the first time in Southern Africa, Starbucks will open full-format stores bringing the entire range of its food and beverages, including its ethically-sourced Arabica coffee, to South African consumers.

[…]