LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
In the burger world, bigger means better, and with a new outlet just unveiled, Bondi natives Milky Lane are looking to take a bite out of the sector.
Millennial burger favourite Milky Lane.
Since opening its first location in 2016, Milky Lane has become synonymous with the extravagant edibles that Instagram influencers travel miles to photograph.
With a menu emblazoned with over-thetop desserts, cocktails and burgers, all set to a backdrop of hip-hop, the brand has struck a chord with millennials.
So strong is Milky Lane’s connection to the market, the brand has even taken occupancy in Sydney’s former clubbing district Kings Cross, promising to blur the lines between bar and bistro.
“We’re super excited for the Kings Cross ‘Late Night’ concept. We’ve partnered with a great team who excel at not only a dining experience but also bringing some of the world’s biggest artists to Australia,” Pete Haselhurst, Milky Lane managing director says.
Taking therein soft he entertainment-cross-dining destination is experienced events promoter and prominent Kings Cross personality, Rodd Richards.
The new franchisee says he found a synergy between his ideal business model and the values Milky Lane has established over the last few years.
“I have been an event and music promoter in venues across Sydney and Australia for over 20 years. I wanted to apply my music and event insight into a permanent experience,” he says. “It doesn’t sit within any restaurant style that I have ever worked with and the vibrancy attracted me to this. It’s not just about the burgers but about the whole ethos of the place.”
The new Kings Cross location is one of seven now under the Milky Lane banner, with Haselhurst revealing eight additional sites have been sold, including two already under construction in Newcastle and Brisbane.
BOUTIQUE ATTRACTION
It’s been a categoric rise for the late-night burger bar concept, which Haselhurst puts down to the boutique nature of the Quick Service Restaurant (QSR) market.
“It’s exciting, people like boutique and it also holds value and quality,” he says. “We focus on experience and deliver it throughout the Milky Lane journey.”
There’s a number of working parts that go into building the Milky Lane experience, and Haselhurst admits he doesn’t skimp on quality.
“Our stores each have a world-class design team behind them and are uniquely put together by Steel + Stitch before we fly the world’s best graffiti artists in to work on our famous art pieces and murals.”
It isn’t just a visual experience either. The iconic feeds are created by Gordon Ramsey-trained head chef Scott Findlay, with the shakes and cocktails put together by two-time Australian and New Zealand flaring and mixology champion, Robbie Stowe.
Haselhurst says it’s all part of the boutique appeal, something that has helped the brand identify a clear path in the congested dining landscape.
“We’ve always seen Milky Lane as a boutique franchise model, and we’ve limited the number of stores available to only 40 throughout Australia to maintain Milky Lane as a destination experience.”
That focus on destination dining has paid off so far. Take a look at the brand’s over 100,000 Instagram followers and it’s not hard to see that the message is getting through.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Getting social plays a big part in the Milky Lane model, with Haselhurst revealing there is more method than madness when it comes to posting.
“Social media is everything for Milky Lane, not only do we use it to drive our products, but we also use it for our research and customer feedback,” he says.
“We use our social channels to dictate
where we open, and our audience tells us where they want Milky Lane. Some may see this as risky, but it’s been working extremely well for us.”
Using social media for more than just marketing is a premise that many franchises are now adopting. However, in the QSR space, the market has been slow with the uptake.
Haselhurst believes that for brands to succeed in the contemporary environment, having a strong social following is more than just a “nice-to-have”, it is essential.
“Burger brands have dominated the QSR landscape for over 75 years, the challenges of consistency and quality have always been primary focuses when establishing a brand but today our biggest challenge is ‘expectation versus reality’, and this is driven by social media,” he says.
For a brand with the growth rate of Milky Lane, the potential for variance between what is posted online to what is served instore is huge. Haselhurst acknowledges that in today’s day and age of instant gratification, one bad customer experience can loosen the screws.
“This has compelled us as a group to improve our training systems so that we are more confident with every dish, drink or dessert that leaves our kitchens.”
INFLUENCERS
It’s not the only innovative investment Milky Lane is making. The strong connection to the millennial market has seen the brand leverage a multifaceted approach to customer retention, including the use of influencers.
From chart-topping rappers like Coolio, to international fitness models such as Lauren Simpson, the brand knows a thing or two about celebrity street-cred.
“Working with influencers is something we strongly believe in – 2019 is a digital space where if you aren’t leading the race online or being creative, you’re falling behind,” Haselhurst says.
The return on investment has been extraordinary. Working on contra deals, offering food and drinks in return for content has grown the brand’s presence enormously, with little initial spend.
“The product cost to us is generally quite small and we can reach up to 1 million people around the world (we aren’t global yet but brand awareness is key in the growth stages also) and have noticed that this converts to sales for us, instore,” Haselhurst says.
“We have guidelines that we send to each person before we work together for the first time and we maintain these relationships throughout the year. It’s a coexistence that works well for us both.”
A MILKY LANE FUTURE
While the brand has come a long way in just three short years, Haselhurst believes the best is yet to come.
“We have a very exciting future ahead of us; our aim is to have opened all 40 Australian locations by 2021,” he says.
Three additional New South Wales stores will open in 2019, with the brand now focusing on Queensland and Victorian expansion, but Haselhurst isn’t ruling out international expansion.
“We have a huge demand for our brand internationally and we look forward to overseas expansion in 2020 into multiple regions and countries.”