WIL to Export its Burger Wisconsin concept
Wisconsin International Limited to Export its Burger Wisconsin concept
Wellington, New Zealand. Wisconsin International Limited (WIL) today announced that it plans to develop the Burger Wisconsin business internationally through partnership arrangements in target territories.
Tim Stewart, Managing Director of WIL, said, “We have a fantastic business model that has proven over the last 17 years that it is capable of delivering a great product to customers and good returns to the operators.
“Our intellectual property has been used to establish 27 stores throughout New Zealand and it’s time we took that IP to the rest of the world where we believe it has already enjoyed considerable success.”
In May 2000 the then owners of Burger Wisconsin entered into an agreement with ‘The Great Trading Company’ in the United Kingdom, a company controlled by Greg Driscoll, Brandon Allen and Adam Wills, for the use of Burger Wisconsin information to establish a similar business in the UK and Ireland. WIL believes Driscoll, Allen and Wills used that intellectual property to establish the GBK (Gourmet Burger Kitchen) brand in London in early 2001.
“We know our IP is a proven performer and we believe the time has come to expand our wings beyond New Zealand. We are in active discussions with potential partners who will be able to bring valuable execution and market penetration capabilities in our first target market. We hope to conclude appropriate partnership arrangements over the next few months,” Mr Stewart said.
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Background
Wisconsin International Limited
Wisconsin International Limited controls the
Intellectual Property behind the Burger Wisconsin concept in
all territories except NZ and Australia.
It has some
common shareholding, but is otherwise a separate and
distinct business from Burger Wisconsin Limited which
operates the Burger Wisconsin franchising system in New
Zealand.
WIL shareholders include interests associated
with Mick Davenport - the founder of the Burger Wisconsin
format and Tim Stewart, one of the current operators of the
Burger Wisconsin franchise in New Zealand.
Burger Wisconsin Limited
Burger Wisconsin is a New Zealand
institution. This nationwide chain of gourmet burger
takeaway stores was started by Michael Davenport in 1989 in
Wadestown, Wellington. The original store still trades from
the same location.
Michael saw a gap in the market to
introduce a high quality gourmet burger meal to suburban
locations. He was ahead of his time bringing fresh
ingredients and such flavours and tastes as pesto, satay,
avocado and camembert to takeaways. Burger Wisconsin stores
were outfitted in a retro-modern style with polished wooden
floors, wooden bar tops and café style music, quality
magazines and fresh flowers, to give customers a cool
environment to receive their burger which is individually
made to each customer’s order.
Burger Wisconsin is a
mature and strong franchise operation, and its stores have
traded very profitably.
Through franchising, store
numbers have grown to 27 outlets throughout NZ.
In recent
years there has been an explosion of ‘fast food’ options,
mainly focussed on the ‘fast’ rather than the food. Burger
Wisconsin has stayed rooted in the original ideals of
serving a top quality gourmet burger, grilled for health,
made to order, with fresh ingredients.
Michael still
makes the burger patties for the group to the same recipe as
he started; lean beef, herbs and spices, with no artificial
additives. Other ingredients, all sourced from NZ suppliers,
are made specifically for Burger Wisconsin to original
Wisconsin recipes. Salad ingredients are grown especially
for Wisconsin and the sauces that give a Wisconsin burger
its unique taste are also created fresh each day.
Burger
Wisconsin delivers a gourmet burger to those who wish to
raise their Burger experience to a taste sensation.
Website:
http://www.wisconsin.co.nz/
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