SNAP UP THESE NEW IDEAS!
Fresh-faced brands look to the future.
New business and fresh concepts from established brands can be just the beginning of a profitable future.
Think you know The Coffee Club? Think again. And if you love Lone Star Rib House, how much would you love a pub extension to the brand? Barbecues Galore has upped the ante with a lifestyle focus in stores. Just some of the fresh faces in Australia’s franchising scene right now…
LONE STAR RIB HOUSE LAUNCHES NEW CONCEPT
Lone Star Rib House is on the hunt for new franchisees after launching a brand extension to its popular Texan-inspired restaurant chain.
New to the scene is Lone Star Rib House & Brews. This part-pub, part-restaurant concept appeals to a younger consumer than the flagship brand.
The business has already unveiled six outlets and is targeting franchise recruitment in Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.
In the Brews outlets there’s a bigger drinks range than Lone Star Rib House customers are used to.. Craft beer ranges, beers and wine on tap, alcohol milkshakes and an extensive cocktail selection are on the menu.
The new outlets also have primary service liquor licenses to allow for alcohol-only sales.
Gary Blyton heads up the Lone Star brand. The general manager says the focus of the dual purpose concept will boost franchisees’ profits.
“More alcohol improves our average customer’s spend and profits for our franchisees. The Brews model has proven to help us stay relevant with both consumers and landlords.”
Blyton said the fit-outs are welcoming and suitable for both restaurant and tavern experiences.
There’s also a new menu featuring gluten free and vegetarian options.
Lone Star has also introduced a smaller footprint counter-ordering model to the portfolio. Two stores are open already in Maitland and Orange in New South Wales.
Another innovation is a stand-alone South American cuisine offer soon to launch.
“We have been developing a second cuisine ghost kitchen offering to allow franchisees to maximise the use of their kitchen and overall resource,” he said.
“We are confident our franchisees will be able to use this second intra brand via home delivery as a permanent part of our future operations. There is no cost to the franchisees other than the usual stock and we will be providing full training and systems. “
Lone Star has also successfully adopted its own delivery platform.
“This has allowed our franchisees to self promote their store locally to drive sales in this area and avoid the very large fees that come with the big delivery platforms,” Blyton says.
The in-house delivery system is now outperforming the sales previously achieved through Uber Eats, Deliveroo and Menulog.
Lone Star has also looked to adapt its in-restaurant ordering process.
“We are now almost ready to launch at table contactless ordering so customers will have this option and given social trends we see this as a crucial new development long term.”
THE COFFEE CLUB GETS A FACELIFT
The Coffee Club has swapped ‘Where will I meet you?’ for a new tagline ‘Your happy place’. It’s all part of a brand new identity for the Aussie franchise cafe chain which is sporting a fresh logo, colour palette and images.
The Coffee Club’s lighter, more whimsical new look was due for a March release but Covid-19 scuppered that plan.
Now the brand shift is underway with a softer launch schedule.
So far the new brand identity can be seen in digital channels and at multiple touch points in store.
There are design improvements to The Coffee Club menu, operations and services including new systems, technology, product packaging and in-store design.
The stalwart cafe brand which began in Brisbane 31 years ago is owned by Minor DKL Food Group which operates more than 400 The Coffee Club stores around the world.
Megan Magill, chief brand officer at Minor DKL Food Group said, “Although our original launch plans were waylaid by the pandemic, we are incredibly proud of our new brand identity and the first steps taken in our journey toward becoming the most customer connected café experience.
“We are looking forward to extending this into a fully integrated renewal that will reposition The Coffee Club as ‘Your Happy Place’.”
BARBEQUES GALORE FIRES UP ITS FUTURE STORES
Barecues Galore has a new focus, creating a real in-store experience for shoppers.
It’s also introduced two new formats - the Explorer, and the Express. Clever use of space means reduced fit-out costs for the smaller 500sq m Express store; the 1000sq m Explorer makes the most of its footprint with a new lifestyle feature.
A large demo area called ‘The Steakhouse’ allows staff to showcase merchandise by firing up the barbecue and cooking for customers.
A clearly defined pathway makes it easier for consumers to navigate the store and track lighting creates a good ambience and focuses on the product. Signage and graphics have been refreshed to share the stories behind the products.
While the refreshed designs are part of future-proofing the bricks and mortar stores, CEO Angus McDonald told Inside Retail ecommerce has a significant role to play in retail.
“Particularly in a high-involvement category like ours, the store still plays an important role, but increasingly, it’s part of a broader process integrated from the early stages of online research and the things that happen post-purchase, like delivery and home installation,” said McDonald.
“It’s really about fusing the two areas together and recognising it’s not about competing forces. It’s a mistake people make. They think it’s bricks-and mortar versus online, but I strongly believe it’s the fusion of both that delivers the greatest experience.”
McDonald added that at Barbeques Galore, click-and-collect orders make up a large share of online transactions, indicating the importance of the bricks-and-mortar stores for the brand.
“We want to think about how [on- and offline] fit together and embrace things like endless aisle and click-and-collect. It’s that fusion of both that delivers the best outcome and we think that’s important for our plan in the next few years.”