30 Years of Hog'spitality

The magazine for franchisees

VOL 12 ISSUE 06 Sep/Oct 2018

AUSTRALIA and NEW ZEALAND

30 years of Hog’spitality

The hog’s story

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cover story: Hog’s Australia

30 years of Hog’spitality

The hog’s story

The first humble Hog’s Breath Cafe opened for business in beautiful Airlie Beach back in 1989 with founding father Don Algie at the helm.

There in the vibrant hub of the Whitsundays, influenced by the laid-back holiday atmosphere, Algie made fun and hospitality a

staple of the Hog’s Breath experience. Almost 30 years later and this philosophy remains at the heart of the business, with the restaurant group even creating and owning the term ‘Hog’spitality’ and carrying the slogan, “There are many things we’ve never done, but we ain’t never had too much fun”. It’s a philosophy that has made Hog’s one of the most successful homegrown franchise systems in Australia.

A second restaurant opened in Mooloolaba a year after Airlie, and was quickly followed by Cairns, Townsville and Darwin as Hog’s

continued to grow at an average rate of four to six new restaurants every twelve months. There are now 75 Hog’s restaurants throughout Australia and New Zealand.

From the outset, Hog’s Breath Cafe set out to be different to anyone else and create a distinctive style of casual dining unique to the Australian marketplace. CEO, Ross Worth, who’s been with the brand for more than 17 years, said the Hog’s philosophy has always been to have fun and enjoy yourself.

“We don’t take ourselves too seriously and love to have a laugh and see our customers enjoying themselves,” said Worth.

“Our overarching goal has always been, and will always be, to see our customers have a great dining experience. Everything we do is based on that simple premise, from serving fabulous food, to delivering friendly service and a great atmosphere.

“We serve over 7 million people a year and attract a broad range of customers. You could walk into any Hog’s restaurant and see young adults, couples, kids, mums and dads, grandparents, as well as corporates enjoying a business lunch. We’re extremely proud of that.”

The Hog’s philosophy is clear when you walk into any restaurant and first see the wide smiles of the staff, followed by the unique decor that adorns the walls, most of which is unique to each restaurant and the region in which its located. You immediately know you’ve come to a place that’s unpretentious, where you can relax, have fun and, of course, enjoy one of Hog’s famous slow cooked steaks.

This is another staple of the business that has remained unchanged throughout its almost 30-year history. The signature dish has always been its famed Prime Rib Steak, slow cooked for up to 18 hours to offer maximum flavour and tenderness. Worth said another feature of the menu that has remained unchanged over their long history is the commitment to local, seasonal produce as well as superior beef selected especially for Hog’s from cattle raised

12 Business Franchise Australia and New Zealand

“From the outset, Hog’s Breath Cafe set out to be different to anyone else and create a distinctive style of casual dining unique to the Australian marketplace.”

on fertile pastures and then graded to an exacting standard.

However, as times and appetites have changed, Hog’s has moved along too, and now offers a whole range of healthy options and meals to suit all appetites and dietary requirements. Hog’s Executive Chef, Andrew Rennie, devises a new menu each year that’s designed to improve the profiles of existing flavours, and introduce on-trend new ingredients and products to improve the customers tasting experience.

Worth concedes it’s important to change the menu in line with worldwide trends and cater to all appetites, but there are some menu favourites that are simply part of the Hog’s tradition.

“We’ve had Prime Rib and other beloved classics like Curly Fries, Loaded Skins and Boss Hog Ribs on the menu for nearly 30 years and we’ll probably have them on the menu in another 30 years,” said Worth.

“Our loyal customers come back for them time and time again and we won’t let them down.”

Loyalty seems to be a keyword for the Hog’s group. It has retained franchisees and staff for over 20 years, and has worked with the same suppliers for decades from all areas of the business from the farmers who supply their produce, to the builders of their new restaurants, the team that looks after their printing needs, right through to the charities they support, and the sporting teams and individuals they sponsor.

“Relationships are incredibly important to us as a group, and a large part of our success can be attributed to the people and businesses we surround ourselves with,” says Worth. “We put trust in our franchisees, staff and suppliers and that builds loyalty over time, and they become part of our family. And we love seeing their successes and growth”.

“All of our franchisees, and our head office team of 30, are crucial to our continued growth as a business, and they all work incredibly hard for the brand.”

While Hog’s has retained much of its original philosophy and people from inception

almost 30 years ago, the group hasn’t rested on its laurels and has continued to grow and diversify as the hospitality industry has changed.

A major development in recent years saw the iconic Aussie brand get a fresh new look. In 2016 the group rebranded to Hog’s Australia’s Steakhouse to reflect their heritage as Australia’s favourite steakhouse.

“Having dished up the best steak for almost three decades, we wanted to pay homage to our background and celebrate what we’re famous for with a name that says it all,” says Worth.

“Many of our restaurants now carry the new branding, and we’ll continue to roll it out across the group over the next couple of years, and of course on all our new additions to the Hog’s family.

“We’ve also adopted a more modern design for our restaurant interiors, without losing our DNA,” says Worth.

Elements such as the Mackay Cedar table tops and timber floorboards will remain but will be enhanced by timber, brick, steel and concrete fittings, as well as open kitchens. As each restaurant refurbishes, the franchisee will be able to incorporate new building and fit-out elements into their design, but each will also be uniquely different in featuring elements that embrace the local area and people. Modern technology, such as self-order with iPads, and phone charging stations will also be gradually introduced.

Another massive development for the group was the introduction of a new generation of restaurant last year.

“Hog’s Express is a quick service offering that allows us to be more versatile with our menu and take our product to a wider audience, as well as giving franchisees the opportunity to be part of the Hog’s family with much lower setup costs,” says Worth.

The new model restaurant is now operating in Brisbane and Perth, and the first Hog’s

Express drive-thru has just opened in Burpengary, Queensland.

“We’re really proud of Hog’s Express, from the world-class store design to the technology we’ve implemented. And of course our menu has a range of truly unique options,” says Worth.

The selection of burger offerings includes Mac & Cheese, Pork Belly, Southern Chicken, Calamari & Whiting, Tex-Mex and Crispy Vegetarian. Also on the menu is a selection of ribs and wings and Hog’s favourites such as curly fries and onion rings, as well as salads and a special menu for kids.

Hog’s Express takes advantage of the latest technology by way of a fully interactive customer ordering system via iPad, as well as offering power and charging devices storewide for customers who choose to dine in.

Hog’s also quickly jumped on the online food ordering trend and is now delivering delicious menu options from a selection of restaurants.

“Although our heritage is as a family restaurant we know that our customers sometimes want the convenience of online food ordering, so we adopted the service as quickly as we could,” said Worth.

“It’s a fast-moving industry so you have to keep up with trends and what the consumer wants or you’ll be left behind.”

Since its inception in Airlie Beach, Hog’s has flourished and expanded across Australia over its 30-year history and has managed to stay true to its roots, while still progressing with the times. Worth says the group has many more developments in the pipeline, so stay tuned for what this iconic Aussie brand has coming next.

For more information please contact Geoff Hargreaves, Franchise Development Manager at:

geoffhargreaves@hbca.com.au www.hogsbreath.com.au www.hogsxpress.com.au

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