In The News

In a solicitor's letter to Tily, Cookright claims she was working in association with the former franchisee and therefore breaking the terms of settlement between Cookright and the former franchisee.

The terms of settlement say the High Court has made an order restraining the former franchisee from operating within Southland, Invercargill or Central Otago, or 100 kilometres from those regions until December 31, 2015.

The letter says Tily was using the same premises, employees and vehicle as the former franchisee, with a similar name which had been used by the former franchisee for another business.

Sales at its 179 stores increased by $2.8 million to $73.3 million in the 12 weeks ended May 20, from the year earlier period, the Auckland-based company says in a statement. The addition of three Carl's Jr stores during the period added $2.3 million to sales. On a same-store basis, total sales rose 3.2 percent.

Shares in Restaurant Brands gained 1 percent to $3.03.

A pie-lover has forked out more than $400 to be one of the first people in the country to taste a Georgie Pie, 15 years after the last meaty savoury was sold in New Zealand. 

Proceeds from the auction were to go to Ronald McDonald House Charities.

'Another speaker asked that McDonald's remove its locations from hospitals, while others asked it to stop targeting communities of colour by signing stars such as Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas and the NBA's LeBron James. Three of the individuals were members of Corporate Accountability, which has been critical of the company's marketing practices. Others were health professionals, parents or writers linked to the group.

Thompson stood by the company's menu, saying McDonald's doesn't sell "junk food," pointing out items such as the yoghurt parfait and side salad and noting that the company has been adding more fruits and vegetables. Thompson, who took over as CEO this past summer, also noted that his kids eat at McDonald's and that many of its 1.8 million employees are parents.

Still, he said at one point, "I do agree we have some issues, and we can be part of the solution."'

When first approached about the issue on Sunday, Mrs Watson refused to comment, and said: "I tell ya what, mate, if you put anything in the paper I'm gonna sue your f..... a...., okay? I'm gonna come down on this country, and don't think I don't know the mayor cos I know her very well and had dinner with her recently, okay? [sic]"

Auckland-based KiwiYo has signed three franchise deals in China, including one that will see 20 stores established in the mega city of Chongqing - with a population of around 30 million - to be followed by expansion into the nearby provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Hubei and Guizhou.

Another franchisee will open three stores in the central Chinese city of Xian, with the intention of establishing a further eight outlets over the next year or two.

Veritas Investments, which completed its purchase and backdoor listing of the Mad Butcher yesterday, is looking to acquire additional businesses, possibly in the retail sector, says chairman Mark Darrow.

But he said the firm's "short-term responsibility" was growing the meat seller it bought for $40 million off Michael Morton, who acquired the business from founder Sir Peter Leitch in 2007.

McDonald's reduced the size and price of its initial lamb burger in January in response to customer demand and took lamb off the permanent menu last month, spokeswoman Kim Bartlett says in a statement.

Federated Farmers is saddened by the move but understands the commercial reality after local sales "tailed off", meat and fibre spokeswoman Jeanette Maxwell says. Rival companies Burger Fuel and Burger Wisconsin feature lamb on permanent menus and Subway had also used the product.

Burger Fuel is expanding in the Middle East, where lamb is a favoured meat protein, and the farmer lobby group hopes McDonald's, which bought 210 tonnes of lamb last year, may export the meat to its units around the world in the future, Ms Maxwell says.

The Mad Butcher went public today, joining the stock exchange through its shell company Veritas Investments. Shares in the retail butchery franchisor effectively began trading at midday, when its acquisition by Veritas Investments was complete.

Over the past three decades, Richards has gone on to build the business up to 10 clubs - three sold to franchisees and another seven still in his hands. Everything was ticking over nicely until earlier this year, when an unpleasant turn appeared in the road.

"I've been through quite a few big battles over the years but this has been different. I had to fight for my life."

On Friday, February 8, Richards received an email notifying him that one of his franchisees, Stuart Holder, was severing his three agreements and going it alone. Staff at those gyms - in Three Kings, Botany and Westgate - were fitted with new uniforms, class timetables were overhauled and existing instructors were dropped.

Holder's decision to rebrand the club as Jolt Fitness left Richards stunned.

"That night when I went home I said, 'Tina, I think we should just turn the cheek. I don't want to spend any money on lawyers or get in a big fight, I just want to be happy'." But Richards sought advice from close friends and each told him to fight. "So I spent two months fighting, seven days a week."

Despite both Restaurant Brands, the licence holder for Carl's Jr, and MediaWorks arguing the advertisement was placed ahead of programmes targeted at the 18-49 age group, the board ruled it breached several advertising principles.

"After viewing the advertisement, the majority of the complaints board noted a number of closeup shots of the skimpily clad women were shown. In particular, a closeup showed rivulets of perspiration on one of the women's stomach while another showed a woman wiping sauce from her breast area."

McDonald's had offered a 25-cent pay rise across the board, which was not enough, given the company had reported an almost $32 million annual profit, he said. The proposed pay rise was less than an eighth of the cost of one of the fast-food chain's cheapest items, a small serving of fries at $2.20.

Carolan said McDonald's workers wanted parity with staff at KFC, where pay rates were considerably higher. For example, KFC employees received a $1 pay rise on the minimum wage after about six months in the job, compared with a 25c lift at McDonald's.

Staff were also seeking more security on working hours as the company did not guarantee staff 40 hours of work a week.

Veritas will pay for the acquisition with $20 million in cash as well as an allocation of $20 million in shares to Michael Morton, who bought the business off founder Sir Peter Leitch in 2007. Morton remains the firm's chief executive and will be its largest shareholder following the acquisition.

Doctors on the CBS show noted that aside from the pickle disintegrating, the burger showed no signs of mould, fungus or even a strange smell.

Mr Whipple said he had put the burger on eBay at one point. But, despite bids reaching close to US$2000 ($2344), the family decided to keep it for educational use.

Enterprises with fewer than 50 employees create nearly half of all jobs and contribute over a third
of New Zealand’s Gross Domestic Product. Other OECD countries have similar proportions of small enterprises.

"There has been recent media speculation as to the identity of the acquirer of Competitive Foods Limited, the franchisee of 40 KFC stores in Western Australia," it says. "Restaurant Brands wishes to advise that it is not intending to acquire this business."

Competitive Foods owns the franchise rights to Hungry Jack's restaurants in Australia and KFC fried chicken outlets in Western Australia and the Northern Territory.

‘I am most buoyed by Franchisors’ increase in sentiment for franchisee profitability – arguably a franchise system’s most important key performance indicator. The net positive 44 percent reported by franchisors is the series record, and one indicator that franchising could be set to deliver growing returns to franchisees, franchisors, suppliers and the wider economy.’

'Closing the remaining Starbucks stores is not being considered by Restaurant Brands, but selling the New Zealand arm of the global coffee chain could happen for the right price, says chief executive Russel Creedy.'

'Starbucks Coffee outlets reported a 5.1 percent fall in sales to $25.1 million, with a 22 percent slide in ebitda to $2.9 million, and it will close more stores in the coming year as their leases end. Carl's Jr contributed $1.9 million in sales and made an ebitda loss of $500,000 after opening in November.'