Hamburger chain Burger Wisconsin is aiming to double in size to a chain of about 50 restaurants within three years, after falling off the fast food radar.
The company is part of a growing trend for fast food businesses to expand rapidly through franchise stores. Auckland chain BurgerFuel has spread throughout the North Island and Christchurch pizzeria Spagalimis is planning to boost the number of its stores.
At the same time, market leader McDonald’s has been trying to recover lost ground in the face of international criticism saying its food is unhealthy .
Wellingtonians Steve Hanna and Tim Stewart bought out Burger Wisconsin founder Mick Davenport 18 months ago. The business, which started in 1989 with a burger bar in Wadestown, has seen a “moderate” lift in turnover since then, up about 13 per cent in the past year.
They are planning to increase the number of franchise stores and rev up national promotion of the brand.
“Burger Wisconsin slipped off people’s radar … because they did not market or promote it,” Mr Hanna said.
As market competition intensified, promotion was more important, he said, in the face of a renewed push by McDonald’s and newer fast food operators such as Hell Pizza, recently taken over by Burger King.
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