SPOTLIGHT: MOBILE
NEW ROAD RULES
Lower costs, flexible working...what’s not to love about a mobile franchise?
O
ver the last five years, there has been an increase in food vans that are developing mobile dining communities, as opposed to merely catering to convenience culture. Whether it’s food-based or a service business, there’s plenty of action out on the road.
Becoming your own boss can be an exciting step, and the good news is it can come at an affordable price. The world of mobile business is far more exciting today with the variety of franchises operating in this space, some of them well-known brands. Recent additions into this marketplace are taking the business model into new areas of success.
LORD OF THE FRIES After 15 years on the Aussie fast-food scene, booming vegan chain Lord of the Fries is going back to its roots. The iconic restaurant business has announced the original Lord of the Fries food truck is set to make a return, and this time, franchisees can get in on the action. Fans of the brand will remember the chain’s humble beginnings, starting off as a three-person mobile operation, before launching an initial bricks-and-mortar restaurant in Melbourne. And while Lord of the Fries has gone from strength to strength, launching 28 outlets across Australia and New Zealand, a growing demand has sparked a return to the mobile format. “It’s back to the future really,” co-founder and CEO Mark Koronczyk says. “We thought it was a good time to bring the model back because nowadays there’s just so many opportunities for vans and food trucks. It’s a great way for someone who wants to own a Lord of the Fries to get in a very-low cost rate.” The new Lord of the Fries food truck is about half the cost of a shopfront restaurant, says Koronczyk but, unlike the early incarnation, the new van is significantly more decked out. “It will be under $200,000 and that presents a
full turn-key operation,” he explains. “It also includes all stock on hand and also the money you need for the first few festivals. These are still working numbers, but that’s what we’ve landed on.” The announcement of the Lord of the Fries food truck follows significant growth in the mobile restaurant movement. “It’s been a huge change,” Koronczyk said. “When we had the van, it was pretty much just us and a few all-purpose vans that sold Chiko rolls and dim sims.” “We were able to position ourselves as something different through our specialised offering of fries and boutique sauces. We really did stand out – there were huge queues – but the van industry has changed dramatically and become far more hip, more gourmet. You can get any type of cuisine now.” For aspiring entrepreneurs looking to take up the new Lord of the Fries food truck format, the options are seemingly limitless. Koronczyk revealed the chain has been turning down offers from big-name festivals for years, but with the right mix of aptitude and hard work, the opportunity was ripe for the picking.
FEB/APR 2020 | 120 | WWW.FRANCHISEBUSINESS.COM.AU
