Eatphoria bets on multi-brand model as single-format QSR struggles to keep pace
COO Richard Benton believes that simplicity and differentiation are now the only path to franchise growth.
Eatphoria's chief operating officer, Richard Benton, says consumers are no longer willing to be served by a single brand format, and the operators who have not yet accepted that reality are already falling behind.
Benton breaks down the commercial decisions behind that growth, what Eatphoria is building next, and why the brands that fail to combine relevance with operational simplicity will fall behind.
Looking back on the past 12 months, how would you describe the biggest shift in the QSR operating environment, and what has that required brands to do differently?
One of the most significant shifts we’ve seen is consumers refusing to stand still when it comes to consumption trends. Everywhere we look there are new trends emerging, new flavours being introduced to the market, and new ways for brands to deepen their engagement with consumers.
Naturally, this is really exciting. It means that F&B operators can get really creative in terms of their approach to new product development. However, it also presents challenges. A single brand cannot effectively serve all consumer occasions, with huge variety, at great value, in a way that delivers success for franchisees. That’s why we believe the multi-brand model really lends itself to today’s consumer and have seen that in our continued success at Eatphoria.
As brands simplify menus, refine promotions and rethink formats, what operating or commercial decisions have had the biggest impact on your brand?
For us, it’s all about simplicity. Through our portfolio of differentiated brands, we have created offers with very clear reasons for engagement – whether that’s Eggsquisite, our breakfast brand for high-protein and delicious breakfasts, Wraps & Wings, our hero brand for dinner with friends, or Mad About Doner for a late-night snack.
All of our brands have a different and distinct proposition. However, our strength lies in the shared systems, kitchen set-up and menu design that enables multiple brands to effectively operate as one. This not only helps create huge opportunities for our franchisees to scale efficiently but also makes our proposition and what we can offer partners, franchisees, landlords, or even contract caterers from a brand licensing perspective truly compelling.
What investments are you going to focus on for the brand, and what KPI targets can you share?
Last year was a pivotal year for our group. We established Eatphoria as a Group and received investment from TAN Food to turbo-charge our growth. This year, however, will be even more transformational. We’re currently completing a major project internally to re-imagine and evolve the Wraps & Wings brand – from the brand’s look and feel to its F&B positioning and store architecture. As our hero brand and the group’s calling card, this project will help strengthen our foundations and set us up for an exciting period of expansion. Over the next 12 months, we are aiming to open 12 hybrid restaurant locations, with the first expected in Q2.
What will be the next major challenge for the industry, and how should it be addressed?
Unlocking meaningful growth opportunities is a significant challenge across the industry. As consumer spending and sentiment are squeezed, finding new ways to stay relevant and front-of-mind for consumers is more critical now than ever. We believe one route to unlocking growth is in the use of multiple brands and see a significant opportunity for contract caterers and other foodservice operators who naturally have fewer opportunities to innovate and pivot. That’s why we’ve launched our new brand licensing proposition, enabling such operators to ‘plug-in’ one – or several – of our brands and create a complementary offer on-site or through delivery to drive growth.
Looking ahead to the next 12 to 24 months, what will separate the brands that keep gaining share from those that fall behind?
The brands that keep gaining share will be the ones that can combine relevance, simplicity and differentiation. Relevance, because consumers still want quality, innovation and a proposition that feels unique and exciting. Simplicity, because operational complexity can be a drag on consistency and franchisee profitability.
And differentiation, because growth increasingly comes from being able to win across multiple dayparts and multiple channels rather than relying on one format or consumer mission. That is exactly where we see the strength of the Eatphoria model. Our results in FY25, which saw system sales grow by 26% to £23.9m, show that the multi-brand is evidence of the working in practice.
