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FRANCHISING: FAST FOOD

Serving a millennial market hungry for a fresh approach

RocoMamas, an American-style there are no bindings in the mince product, we started to develop a cult PHOTOS: OLIVE PINK PHOTOGRAPHY, SUPPLIED
burger franchise founded in 2013, – we use a special blend that I put following and word-of-mouth has
has developed a niche following together flavour-wise. We roll it in boosted our growth. There’s a lot
based on a model which is ‘50% balls and use a smash tool of opportunity now for made-from-
craft and 50% franchise’, according manufactured by an engineering scratch fast food.”
to Brian Altriche. He knows the company,” Altriche explained to
fast-food scene and is one of Spur’s Business Day newspaper last year. The brand strategy, he tells the
longest-standing franchisees. IMM Journal of Strategic Marketing,
There are plans to grow the concept is to under-promise and over-deliver.
Vibrant, contemporary and hip, from 40 stores to around 100 within There is a strong emphasis on
the brand is particularly popular with the next four years. Each store is customer service and customer-
the 18-35 middle-class market, who backed by a standard set of operating centric marketing, not something
like to photograph their food and procedures, operational assistance, for which the fast-food market is
Instagram it. The vibe is all about a supervision and management support, best known.
trendy environment, rock music, craft and access to bulk purchasing
beers on tap, ribs, and customers that comes with being part of a Altriche says he monitors
building their own burgers according franchise system. RocoMama’s highly active social
to taste. The open-plan kitchen that media presence, and any complaints
lets people see their food being “It’s a move into what Americans are answered and resolved within
prepared is also a drawcard, as is the call the ‘better burger’ market,” says hours. “People are working more
‘smash’ meat process. Altriche. “I spent time developing and have less time,” he notes. “There
the concept. The name is catchy is always opportunity for franchise
“It’s honest food, so no processed and people were inquisitive when models that offer a great meal in
ingredients. It’s all from scratch, we launched. Once they tasted the an attractive environment.”

22 strategicmarketing August–September 2016