Following the recent scandal on the use of undeclared proteins in meat products, especially that of horse, donkey, water buffalo and goat, suppliers of meat products to the Maxi’s fast food chain have declared that no traces of unspecified meat can be found in the products that they supply. The contaminated meat scandal unfolded in early January 2013, when the Food Safety Authority of Ireland discovered traces of equine DNA in various beef burger patties that were being supplied to supermarkets. Word on the findings spread rapidly across the globe, and the meat industry came under severe scrutiny. Following the recent international media attention, Maxi’s, wishes to make it clear that it does not condone any form of unethical practice when it comes to the food that customers consume. Even though there are no serious health implications, Maxi’s feels that the meat contamination saga essentially ruins the trust that consumers have bestowed upon food service providers. “Being a co...

Regular patrons of Scooters Pizza Cresta and Scooters Pizza Blairgowrie can expect their “slice of the good life” to be better than ever before as both stores have just acquired a new owner. John van Rooyen has taken over the ovens at both stores and is looking forward to significantly improving quality and service levels. Van Rooyen, who acquired the Cresta store in January 2013 and more recently the Blairgowrie store, has a Master’s degree in Management from Wits Business School and has gained extensive experience in senior leadership roles at various businesses. Equipped with this experienced background and acquired knowledge, Van Rooyen notes that he is more than capable of making a considerable impact on the stores as he has what it takes to ensure both stores are run effectively. “Owing to my expertise in strategic management and corporate governance, I have the business experience required to affect positive on-the-ground change at both Scooters Pizza stores. Subsequently, ...

Even though franchising remains one of the safest ways of becoming a business owner due to tried and tested recipes for success, there are still some crucial elements to consider when getting involved in this business model. With hundreds of different franchising options available in South Africa, finding the right business fit is of great importance to ensure that the business will be fruitful. Parties interested in franchising as a viable business option are essentially buying into an established brand that was made successful by a company specialising in the franchising industry. These entities put in time, money and effort to create a legacy for the business and it is therefore important to ensure that you will be able to forge a meaningful relationship to ensure longevity in the partnership. CEO of Taste Holdings Food Division, Christo Calitz, adds some wisdom to ensure that prospective franchisees understand the importance of this relationship, “Choosing a franchise can be e...

Following the recent scandal on the use of undeclared proteins in meat products, especially that of horse, donkey, water buffalo and goat, The Fish & Chip Co. is embarking on a social media campaign: ‘The Right to Say Neigh’ to inform consumers of the contents of their ‘Hot and a lot’ meals. The Fish & Chip Co. feels strongly about the rights of consumers, and aims to demonstrate this through the campaign by taking a stand and professing that consumers have the right to know what they are consuming, and that they have the right to say no (or neigh) to consuming these products by making informed decisions. “We feel that the contaminated meat scandal is unacceptable. Our upset is not so much about the threat to health but rather about how improper food labelling is deceiving, and how retailers and suppliers are failing consumers. By mislabelling products, food suppliers fail to meet the high standards that consumers expect form them,” expresses Marcel Strauss, Managing Executi...

Due to the current revamp at the shopping centre next door to Thrupps at 198 Oxford Road, Sandwich Baron Illovo has had a slight change of scenery. Consequently, the undeniably delicious pit-stop for lunchtime goers has relocated within the same shopping complex from shop 8 to shop 4. At the repositioned shop, customers can still look forward to fresh, made-to-order meals complimented by a relaxed dining experience in either the outside or main seating area. Even with the change in shop location, Sandwich Baron Illovo remains as committed as ever to quality service delivery for their customers, says owner Jennifer Oberholzer. “Delivering excellent and friendly service as well as preparing only the highest quality meals is, and always will be, our top priority. We appreciate our customers and the support they have given us.” Produced specifically for online, call in and over the counter orders, Sandwich Baron Illovo creates a variety of high quality food products ranging from s...

This year marks the 20th anniversary of one of South Africa’s most successful exhibitions for a niche, high value audience of aspiring and established entrepreneurs. The 20th annual Business Opportunities and Franchise Expo will take place from 12-15 September 2013 at the Coca-Cola dome in Northriding, Johannesburg. Thebe Exhibitions and Projects, owner and organiser of the expo, has announced that in order to satisfy growing demand, the expo will share its business opportunities and formulas for business success with a wider audience, with the launch of the Cape Town Business Opportunities and Franchise Expo, from 6-8 June 2013 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. According to Lynn Chamier, general manager of the Business Opportunities and Franchise Expo, “The expo’s success in the past two decades rests solely on its ability to marry entrepreneurs and investors with the best business opportunities available to them in the market at a given time. A proven formula a...

Residents in Bloemfontein are in for a hot and cheesy treat with the opening of the new and dynamic, rebranded Scooters Pizza store in the city. The new Scooters Pizza store, situated at Bloemgate Shopping Centre, opened its doors on Monday, 11 March at an elaborate event. Not only will the store provide hungry customers with a scrumptious and appetising meal, but will also be pleasing to the eye with a fresh new look. Scooters Pizza, which was rebranded in 2012, is now sporting a more energetic feel that is sure to ignite some desire for pizza among customers. The new owner at Scooters Pizza Bloemgate, Jose Gomes, brings with him years of experience that is sure to take service excellence to the next level. Gomes has been involved in the retail business for almost 20 years, having established his roots in food franchising whilst still at school. This is the second Scooters Pizza store that Gomes owns, in addition to his second Bloemfontein store on Curie Avenue. He notes that h...

Scooters Pizza’s multiple store owner, Glen van Rooyen has taken Port Elizabeth in his stride with the opening of his fifth store in the Eastern Cape province. Since May 2012, van Rooyen has been the proud owner of four of Scooters Pizza’s six stores in the province, namely the Newton Park, Uitenhage, Walker Drive and Fig Tree outlets and has now opened a new store at 527 Cape Road, Linton Grange – and he is still open to expansion. The latest addition to his string of successful stores will, like the others, also sport the new Scooters Pizza branding. Various elements of the Scooters Pizza brand was revamped in 2012 and the food franchise chain is now refreshed and ready to appeal to a wider target market. Elements such as the logo, tagline and store look have undergone a brand overhaul and look tastier than ever. van Rooyen is impressed with the new look of the brand as he feels it is more modern and sophisticated, which better represents where Scooters Pizza is as a brand cur...

The recent acquisition of Scooters Pizza Midrand by Hitesh Nannen and Reshma Khoosal is set to provide the store with a basis for considerably enhanced customer service and business growth. The two new owners are excited to be presented with the opportunity of managing the store and intend to draw on all their knowledge and competencies to enhance positive experiences for both regular and new customers. They will be affecting change through a variety of methods, including hands-on management, enhanced marketing capabilities and improved customer interaction. Nannen, who previously held a position as operational manager in the health care industry, asserts that he and Khoosal plan to manage and motivate staff better by introducing incentive packages. They are currently in the process of carrying out extensive marketing, starting with pamphlets being distributed in the community that announce their new ownership at Scooters Pizza Midrand. He adds that they have always admired the ...

Google paid advertising: Your secret low-cost marketing weapon Wouldn’t you like to place an advertisement in a newspaper and only pay for it, if someone reads it? Let me show you how you can achieve this online. By Francois Muscat In this article I will tell you how you can generate instant leads for your franchise business by using the most popular online advertising method, Google AdWords, otherwise known as Pay Per Click (PPC). With more and more evidence of a spiralling economy and budgets being cut as a consequence, marketers and business owners are searching for ways to do more with less. They are searching for high impact, but cost effective ways to get their message across. Search advertising is well positioned to sidestep much of the inclement economic weather, by providing you with a means to determine how much you are prepared to spend, when you want to spend it, and who you want to spend it on. What you need to know By knowing how to set up and manage a Google PPC campaig...