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PDF News Clippings are now available for download

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:41:00 -0700

We have recently updated our new section with even more information about Chooks Fresh and Tasty. Please click here to view our News Clippings section where you can download PDF versions of our latest articles.

Right franchisor key to franchisee survival says industry veteran

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800

The economy’s positive turnaround is prompting more Australians to seek out franchise business opportunities but franchising veteran Steve Hansen is warning potential franchisees to choose their franchisor carefully to ensure their long-term business survival. Mr Hansen, who has been in the Australian franchising industry for 26 years and heads up franchise chain CHOOKS fresh & tasty, said the advantage of franchising was a person could run a business with on hand support through a successful proven franchise group but only if the right system was selected.

“There are thousands of franchise systems in Australia to choose from but those seriously considering purchasing a franchise need do their homework and find out all they can about the franchise group they’re thinking of signing up to in order to ensure the business success and the support they’re entitled to,” he said. Mr Hansen said there were a number of “must have” factors potential franchisees needed to look out for in a potential franchisor:

1. Franchising is all about systems so you must check your potential franchise group’s operational systems are in place. Manuals, checklists and everything that a franchisee needs must be available, systematised and written in the right sequence so you can run your franchise effectively.

2. Ensure the franchise system you’re thinking of signing up to is transparent and ethical. How do you find out if your franchisor is trustworthy and will do the right thing by you? Simply talk to their current franchisees. Usually you are supplied with contact details once you’ve reached the stage of signing the franchise agreement.

3. Your potential franchisor must have a vision for the future and know how to plan strategically otherwise where is the company headed? There should be a business plan in writing that you should ask to see.

4. Your franchisor must have the ability to change with the times. If a company cannot adapt to changes in the marketplace it can quickly become stagnant. Ask for examples that show how the business has progressed.

5. The benefit of franchising is the support a franchisee receives from the franchisor and there must be infrastructure to do this. The franchisor must have ethical people in place in marketing, finance and other areas to advise what is best for franchisees and help provide franchisee support.

6. Good communication is crucial for the franchisee/franchisor relationship and there must be systems in place to do this. For example, at CHOOKS we have an intranet and bi-annual conferences so we can keep our franchisees up-to-date with what is happening within the group and the industry. We also have three Guiding Coaches which are essentially field support managers assisting our franchisees on a weekly to monthly basis – whatever is necessary to provide sufficient support for each franchisee. A franchisor should be communicating either through a field support manager or internal communication method at least once a week at a minimum to keep them informed about what going on within the franchise group.

7. A franchisor needs to have a good financial model in place which can be shared with franchisees. Most franchisors are too scared to do this but franchisees have the right to know how that area works and are able to go away and do the sums.

8. A franchisor needs to be able to communicate what the franchise is, what it does, what the term is and how it works in the long term so a potential franchisee is aware of all the terms and conditions. Mr Hansen said these tips were essential but only a starting point to the research process a person needed to do when considering purchasing a franchise. “If you are not sure of what to look for in a franchisor don’t be afraid to obtain advice. Talk to friends or family who already own a franchise or seek out help from a professional franchising body such as the Franchise Council of Australia – visit www.franchise.org.au.”

Chooks heads to Tasmania

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The first Tasmanian Chooks fresh & tasty store opened at Ulverstone in October marking the 40th store for the Western Australian barbecue and fried chicken chain. Steve Hansen, chief chook of Chooks said the expansion into Tasmania had been on the cards for some time and was a major step forward for the franchise network.

Click here to find out more! “With Chooks stores already across WA and slowly sprouting in Queensland the next market that presented an opportunity for us was Tasmania,” he said. Hansen said in an ideal world Chooks' next goal was to reach the 75 store mark within the next three years across the country. In 2009 the fast food franchise was ranked 22nd on BRW’s Fastest Growing Franchise list (by revenue) recording a $28.96 million revenue for the 2008/09 financial year.

New brand mascot for Chooks

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700

Barbecue and fried chicken franchise Chooks fresh & tasty has introduced a new mascot, Champ, as part of a strategy to drive greater brand recognition among consumers. Steve Hansen, head of the Western Australian fast food franchise, said the end goal was to see people instantly recognise and associate the orange and green chicken mascot with the Chooks brand.

“At Chooks we’ve been considering ways to drive more awareness of our brand on a local level for some time in WA, where Chooks is more well-known, and Queensland, where our brand is still quite new and fresh,” he said. Click here to find out more! The mascot will also be used to further the brand's community-friendly image. “The Chooks brand is known for its community focus and local residents living near our stores can vouch for the effort Chooks franchisees make to support their local schools and community clubs or events," Hansen added. “In our view Champ will be another way to get the Chooks name out into the community and to support local events and causes in and around our stores.”

First CHOOKS "coop" to open in Tasmania

Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700

The first Tasmanian CHOOKS fresh & tasty store has opened at Ulverstone, Tasmania this month marking the 40th store for the barbecue and fried chicken chain which is based in Western Australia and also has stores in Queensland. Steve Hansen, Chief Chook of CHOOKS said the expansion into Tasmania had been on the cards for some time and was a major step forward for the franchise chain.

“With CHOOKS stores already across WA and slowly sprouting in Queensland the next market that presented an opportunity for us was Tasmania,” he said. “With the community focus our brand has always maintained we are sure the Ulverstone community in Tasmania will eagerly accept our new competitive product and we expect this store will trigger further expansion in the state.” Mr Hansen said in an ideal world CHOOKS’ next goal was reach the 75 store mark within the next three years across the country. In 2009 CHOOKS was ranked 22nd on BRW’s Fastest Growing Franchise list (by revenue) recording a $28.96 million revenue for the 2008/09 financial year.