Client Success Story - BurgerFuel

For those looking to buy a business, there are various ownership type options available including ownership under a franchise model. 

We recently caught up with clients Cam (below left) and Ryan (below right), who both own and run multiple BurgerFuel franchises, to see what attracted them to this type of business model and to the BurgerFuel franchise.

They both initially went into business for different reasons. Cam quickly realised that an office job wasn’t going to motivate him long term and Ryan had a background operating Subway stores.  Whilst their situations at the time were different, they both shared common goals – to own and manage a business whilst earning a good return on their investment.  

When Cam moved back to Auckland in the early 2000’s, he spotted an opening in the market as his local BurgerFuel was one of only a few at the time.

Ryan said that selecting a franchise was not an easy process. It took him about a year, and he looked at hundreds of options in all industries. What stood out about BurgerFuel was its ethical, environmental and employment stance. Good support, systems and like-minded people were a component of the final decision.

Both Ryan and Cam are extremely passionate about BurgerFuel and the support that they receive from Head office and the franchisee community.  This support has been invaluable over the last two years, for example, there was a very strong forced transition from in-house contact to digital sales needing contactless interaction due to COVID transmission concerns. BurgerFuel had all these processes in place allowing the franchisees to seamlessly transition into the new market needs. 

Marketing within a franchised company is another benefit as it can cover a wide range of channels such as social media, radio, paper, influencer plugs, product samples to opinion leaders. There are also local marketing packages available where the BurgerFuel marketing department assist implementation and execution within the market.

Longevity is always a great measure of success and many of the BurgerFuel franchisees have been in this business for 20 plus years.  Being like-minded people, they all get on very well and the support network is exceptional.  Having the ability to discuss things with the BurgerFuel franchisee community and being able to run ideas and learnings past each other is a real advantage. They’ve formed great relationships and are always keen to help each other out. Many of the franchisees call into each other’s stores and can often be found helping each other out with new store openings. Lifelong friendships have been made.

Given our current tumultuous economy, Cam and Ryan are quick to point out the challenges they face are not unique to their business. Two of their major challenges have been staff recruitment and disruption to supply lines. They believe that strong businesses such as franchise models have better coping mechanisms throughout these times, for example, the BurgerFuel franchise has improved systems, has stronger buying power, robust pricing agreements, menu mixes to suit demand, staff retention strategies and a good support network.  Ryan mentions that the conclusion of a business cycle can be good for businesses and once the market has shed its weight, the franchise will be well streamlined for the next cycle.

When we asked what they love about their business they say that it’s easy to answer – they love the passion shared by the brand developers and franchisees around the country.  “We are all on the same page and care for this brand and the people who work for it and eat at it.  We get real satisfaction from seeing customers love the product we produce. We like all our pillars - cars, music, people, art etc”.  

After being BurgerFuel franchisees for 15+ years, both Ryan and Cam are enjoying a better work life balance, being able to see their families grow and being present for the important moments as parents. 

In terms of future goals, Cam thrives on empowering others in the business and would like to continue to increase the number of equity operational shareholders to give the younger members of his team the chance to gain ownership in the business. This provides great opportunities for team members and helps with succession planning. He’s recently opened a new store in Cambridge and will be opening a store in Dunedin early in 2023.

Ryan has recently opened a new business under the BurgerFuel Group franchise called ‘Shake Out’. This business model is very well honed for today’s market requirements.  Ryan would like to continue to grow his business and is considering expanding his store ownership soon.

It’s fair to say that Cam and Ryan have both put in a lot of hard work to get to where they are today and see huge value in the BurgerFuel franchise ownership model. It’s a real pleasure to assist Ryan and Cam with their businesses and we look forward to continuing to work alongside them in their future success.

Ryan and Cam have some advice for other people looking at franchise opportunities – “speak with as many franchisees / business owners as possible in your chosen field. The people on the ground will give you the most accurate version of what it is like in the current climate. Make sure it is in the industry you have a passion for. Also, keep in mind that you are interviewing the franchisor as much as they are interviewing you. This relationship will be ongoing for years so ensure you have a shared vision and values. Lastly, we believe all hard work will be rewarded, so if you get stuck in you will do well”.