MBI Brands Inc. - Made from scratch, by operators who care

Made

from scratch, by operators who care

PROJECT PARTNERS

Made from scratch, by operators who care

Fergus Byrne, Vice President of Procurement and Culinary at MBI Brands Inc. on the company’s menu innovation, relationship-driven approach to supply chain success and emphasis on grassroots community service.

Established in 1969, MBI Brands Inc. (MBI Brands) is

one of Canada’s largest privately held restaurant companies.

Its franchises – Mary Brown's Chicken and Fat Bastard Burrito – are two of the leading quickservice restaurants across Canada, with hundreds of restaurants between them, and the company is only getting bigger.

Speaking to us today is Fergus Byrne, Vice President of Procurement and Culinary at MBI Brands, to discuss the company’s community-focused approach to customer service, menu innovations and the importance of building strong relationships in the supply chain.

Unlike many other businesses in the restaurant industry, at MBI Brands the culinary and

procurement teams report to the same person: Fergus. This, he explains, ensures that the company can reach its goals regarding menu innovation and quality in each and every store.

“I don't pick the food,” says Fergus. “My team and I move the process along. My role is to make sure that there are products in the stores at the right price. I need to ensure there are quality ingredients, and plenty of them. I need to make sure that the products going out there fall in line with trends and the innovation that we want to put forward.

“My culinary team comes up with incredible new menu items, and

“We have the tagline ‘Crave Canadian,’ which is super important to us for delivering a superior authentic guest experience”

because we work on that together with the procurement team in tandem, the pricing and supply chain dynamics are all in one place – so that makes us much more agile in executing our processes.”

In order to keep services consistent across its franchisees, MBI Brands takes what Fergus refers to as a ‘crossfunctional approach’ with new teams.

“From the time that a franchisee comes into the system, they're

taken through a very detail-oriented introduction to our hospitality, and how we like to serve our guests,” says Fergus. “They spend a couple of weeks training out in our home base of Newfoundland, and they go through this journey as different members from our teams take them through the operations, the business, the training –all the way through to when they reach our head office where our functional leaders from each department come in and we talk to them about what we do. It's a comprehensive introduction

With our end-to-end expertise, we offer a wide range of dry and liquid solutions, spanning from savoury to sweet, including sauces and seasonings, fruit fillings, syrups and more!

We develop products and menu items to adapt seamlessly to evolving trends and contribute to the creation of food that is good for people and the planet.

Contact us by scanning the QR code or visit ca.solina.com for more information.

to how we operate and we tell them what to look out for. We make sure that they have all of our contact information should they need anything, and the right tools at their disposal.

“The approach reflects how we want franchisees to know that we exist because they exist, and to understand that we’re there behind them. I’ll pick up my phone 24/7, and that’s our approach as a company. You’ll never

hear someone from my team saying ‘That’s not my job.’”

And the care that MBI Brands places in its franchisees extends to the guest experience.

“We have the tagline ‘Crave Canadian,’ which is super important to us for delivering a superior authentic guest experience,” says Fergus. “In order to do that, you’ve got to provide quality

food, and in order to ensure this, you’ve got to make sure everyone has access to the same fresh ingredients.

“Our procurement and supply chain teams get our chickens delivered daily in some cases, and our chicken is 100% Canadian. We don't use anything else. We're probably the only brand in Canada that does that, and we do it in order to make sure that guests are getting an authentic experience. Our

flour and seasonings are made in two plants in the world, our gravy is only made in certain areas and we have strict quality assurance conducted to make sure that the quality is maintained.

“Also on the operations side, we ensure that our stores have robust hospitality training. We have many managers who travel to each province and conduct hospitality seminars and good

hospitality is scored and rewarded. It’s a big part of our DNA.”

But while the franchisees may fall under two brands, they also belong to and serve specific local communities across Canada. The work each franchisee puts into serving its community, Fergus recognises, is incredibly valuable and something that the company encourages wherever possible.

“Many of our franchisees do a lot of things independently of us,” says Fergus. “Recently one store was doing an Easter egg hunt, and they wanted to give cookies out. Unfortunately, cookies are a limited-time offer (LTO), so they come and go. But what we did was make special arrangements for that particular store to have cookies for that day, because they really wanted to make sure that kids were rewarded for the effort they were putting in.

“We also have a franchisee in East End, Toronto, out of the Oshawa area. They know what it's like to start from scratch, so they do a lot of community outreach where they donate meals and products, and we support them wherever we can.”

This dedication to community building extends all the way to the top. Fergus recalls CEO Gregory Roberts’ response to the devastation caused by Hurricane Fiona in 2022.

“The devastation to Newfoundland was huge,” says Fergus. “So Greg donated all the sales in that area at the time. I think it was over C$300,000.

He’s a very proud Newfoundlander – he loves his island, loves the people and loves Mary Brown’s.”

As a company-wide approach to broader community building, MBI Brands hosts an annual golf tournament with the company’s franchisees to raise money for the Boys and Girls Clubs in Canada.

Operating in so many different communities across such a vast geographical area means MBI Brands has its work cut out for it when trying to meet the evolving needs of customers and guests. But when asked about the secret to successful menu innovation spanning the entire business, Fergus believes it’s all in the basics.

“You can only innovate off a good product,” he shares. “And what I mean by that is that you need to make sure your core product is 100%. We continually go back and review our original recipes. That's the foundation

for everything. If you don't have that lined up then there's no point in going out and creating a new sandwich. We go back and ensure that customer favourites like the Big Mary retain their quality. There's a love for our products and sometimes things get tweaked over the years as vendors change or ingredients become unavailable – but we make sure that we circle back to what makes us who we are.”

So, how does MBI Brands build on its menus, adding new items to the roster of classics?

“As we go through our innovation, we look at generational divides,” says Fergus. “You’ve got the Silent Generation all the way down to Gen Z’s, and we know through the Technomic data and industry data we collect that their flavour profiles change. Different age groups like specific products, and we’ve found that the younger part of the Millennial generation and Gen Z’s like to experiment with flavours.

“So we look at our items and we follow the menu adoption curve. And when we look at the menu adoption curve,

we try to get things on the menu before they become ubiquitous. If somebody else has it, it's already too late.”

When looking for menu inspiration, the company has a range of contributors.

“We get ideas from everywhere,” says Fergus. “We get ideas from our restaurant owners, our operations teams and of course our very qualified culinary specialists. So we’re not shy about where the ideas come from. We’d just like to get them out and put them to the test.”

But while menu innovation is a crucial aspect of keeping the business fresh, it wouldn’t be possible without a robust supply chain. For Fergus, the importance of the company’s supply chain network cannot be overstated.

“Our supply chain is the single most important thing to keeping our restaurants open,” says Fergus. “We're in a country where we currently have 256 locations from Newfoundland to Vancouver, and we operate out of six major distribution centres. In some areas we have 100 locations drawing

“To guarantee supply chain operations are running smoothly, Fergus meets with the company’s distribution partners once a week and considers them to be an extension of the company”

from distribution centres, some areas we have around ten.

“So, keeping that balance and keeping that equality amongst them is super, super difficult –but it's got to be looked at and monitored on a regular basis. Having the partners that bring products into those distribution centres is even more important. They need to ensure that they've got product on hand, they need to watch our forecasts and they need to make sure that they're going hand in hand with us.”

To guarantee supply chain operations are running smoothly, Fergus meets with the company’s distribution partners once a week and considers them to be an extension of the company. So much so in fact, that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company held chicken parties at every distribution centre.

“People were feeling disconnected and isolated from it all,” says Fergus. “We sent individual chicken meals out because of course there were strict COVID-19 rules. Now, when I walk through one of those distribution centres doing a tour and they see my Mary Brown’s jacket, they always come over and thank me for the chicken party.”

While building strong relationships with distribution partners has allowed the company to develop a more streamlined supply chain, when working on new promotions the company likes to bring partners in even closer to become part of its forecast team.

“We invite them into the process,” says Fergus. “We take our marketing data alongside our historical data, sit on the phone with our partners and the vendors, and explain what we need to bring in. Last year, one of our single biggest promotions was the Batter’s Box, which we worked on with Max Solutions.

“The work triangulated between us, the distribution centres and Max solutions to make sure that we were getting the right information shipping out and that we weren’t running out of product too quickly. And this promotion was such a huge success that we actually did end up running out of product in some areas.”

The Power of Impact

MAX Solutions was launched to make an impact.

We impact our customers by investing in next-generation technology to support their growth and manage their complexity to mitigate risk. We always put forth the best solution regardless of format, material or process. And we never stop designing ways to elevate their brands in the eyes of the consumer.

We impact our teammates by creating a great environment to work and empowering them to learn, take on new opportunities and reach new heights.

We impact the communities in which we operate by supporting local economies through employment opportunities and training programs. We consider these communities home.

We impact the environment by creating the most efficient production flows, innovating ways to simplify the supply chain, designing solutions that are recyclable and minimize waste and investing in technology and materials that reduce our carbon footprint.

To make this impact, we leverage decades of experience designing and manufacturing differentiated, specialty packaging for the healthcare, consumer and media end-markets.

Our vision is multi-dimensional because we’re multi-dimensional.

And, because at the end of the day…it’s bigger than packaging.

“We’re growing at a rate of 40 to 50 stores per year. We’ve got the right model and the right people, so now it’s time to put our foot on the gas and grow”

The importance of partnerships, Fergus stresses, is working alongside a company that wants to help you grow your sales – rather than using you to grow theirs. This is why the company has worked with Pepsi for so many years.

“Anybody can turn around and just put their label on a can and put it on our menu board,” says Fergus. “You see it everywhere. But we wanted somebody who could help us grow our sales, so

with Mary Brown’s we did what we call a reverse request for proposal (RFP).

We presented our business to a few beverage companies, and we said ‘This is who we are, this is where we’re going, and this is what we want to do. Do you want to be part of it? You need to come back with an RFP and show us how you’re going to get us there.’

“Pepsi came back and absolutely got us. They understood that in order for them to be successful, a franchisee

has to be successful. So they came back with helpful suggestions for programmes that would lead to growth. They’re tied in very deeply with our marketing promotions, particularly third-party aggregator marketing.”

Another major partner of the company is Maple Leaf, which has worked with MBI Brands for over 35 years. “They’re one of the premier chicken suppliers in Canada,” Fergus says. “And we’re pleased to do business with them.”

Having reliable partners is crucial for a company such as MBI Brands, as

Mary Brown’s Chicken and Fat Bastard Burrito already cover an expansive geographical area in Canada, which requires complex logistical strategies. But for Fergus, the company is ready for more, in both Canada and beyond.

“We have lots of growth left in Canada,” says Fergus. “We’re growing at a rate of 40 to 50 stores per year. We’ve got the right model and the right people, so now it’s time to put our foot on the gas and grow. We’ve got great representation in Newfoundland, great representation in Ontario and we have growing representation in all

other provinces. Moreover, we have a terrific roster of partners working with us to support our growth like McCormack Bourrie, which has been a valued partner to MBI brands for a very long time. They bring quality food manufacturers and fantastic culinary ideas and insights to the table, we are fortunate to have vendors like this supporting our growth and continued success.”

Long term, the company is looking to expand internationally, but the current focus is on the UK and Ireland.

“We teamed up with a partner in Northern Ireland and he’s got the Mary Brown’s gene,” says Fergus. “He understands the business and what

we want to bring to the market, and he’s just opened our first international location in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. We have another partner in the UK, and we’re looking at a few stores across the country there.”

In May 2024, the company also opened its first restaurant in Mexico and is hoping to be in Pakistan and India by the end of the year.

“People are realising how good the sandwiches are,” says Fergus. “It’s been the best-kept secret for a long time.”

However, MBI Brands is evolving from its position as a best-kept secret in the culinary scene with ever-increasing

industry recognition. To conclude, Fergus reflects on the experience of winning the Pinnacle Award for Best Company.

“To be identified by your peers and to watch our CEO accept the award and see other people look at him in awe of what he’s done was absolutely amazing,” says Fergus. “It was goosebump-inducing. I’ve worked for some of the largest Canadian foodservice companies, billion-dollar chains, but I am so proud to be part of the culture and growth here at MBI Brands.”

Learn more about MBI Brands here.

Turn over for Added Value with Fergus.

ADDED VALUE

“We have a philosophy that anyone who’s not on your side of the desk is your customer”

Fergus Byrne, Vice President

of

Procurement and Culinary at MBI Brands Inc.

Community building

For over 20 years, Fergus has been a member of the Supply Chain Managers Association of Canada. “It’s been really important to be part of that community, and network with people in areas that are not of my expertise,” he says

The importance of training

“We have a philosophy that anyone who’s not on your side of the desk is your customer,” says Fergus. “That could be a supplier, a franchisee, anybody. But because of that we do a lot of in-house training for hospitality, and this extends outside of operations. The buyers, coordinators and culinary people all receive the same hospitality training, because we all have to contribute. A big thing for me is that MBI Brands isn’t afraid to put training behind you to help you grow. I’ve got two people on my team who are doing their Blue Belt Certification in Innovation Engineering from Eureka! Ranch, and they’re probably going to progress to their Black Belt.”

Personal development

“MBI Brands has given me the time to complete an MBA alongside my role,” says Fergus. “I’m doing it at the University of Fredericton, which is an East Coast online school. This is for me, because it’s something I’ve always wanted to do, but it’s also for my team, because I want them to grow and for them to do that I need to lead by example.”

Connect with Fergus