Brand ignites a classic flame in Kiwi tastebuds

By IRENE CHAPPLE

When American-born Dennis Jones first popped his head into New Zealand, the flame-grilled flavour could be found only on the summer barbecue.

Nine years later, Jones is a New Zealand resident and his Burger King franchise - with its flame-grilled burgers - has captured more than 20 per cent of the fast-food market, with sales of more than $90 million.

The flame-grilled concept, which capitalises on the Kiwi fondness for the barbie cook-up, has been key to the franchise's rapid growth.

Jones, who started at Burger King as a 26-year-old 25 years ago, captured full control of the New Zealand operation in July.

The ousting of his former business partners and 50 per cent shareholder Shell NZ in a deal estimated at $30 million followed his buying spree in Australia.

Jones bought 55 Australian Burger King outlets, with an agreement to service the remaining 23 franchises, and now runs his transtasman empire from Auckland.

Jones first eyed up the New Zealand market when he was managing director of Burger King Asia-Pacific.

That was in 1994, when New Zealand's fast-food restaurant market consisted only of Georgie Pie, KFC and McDonald's.

"I came down to New Zealand to do due diligence ... and I just fell in love with it," says Jones. "I fell in love with the countryside, I fell in love with the people and the way of life here."

And he found the fast-food restaurant market undernourished, with little attention given to the teen to adult segment.

After purchasing Burger King's franchise rights in New Zealand, Jones introduced the flame-grilled flavour. Glenn Corbett, general manager marketing Australia-New Zealand, says the taste - which was heavily pushed by television advertising in its first year - worked because of local traditions.

"For New Zealanders, flame-grilled is the closest thing to a barbecue," says Corbett. "The flavour and the taste was coming through and that's exactly why it worked."

The Americana-style stores, jukebox music, free drink refills and order-by-number meals also contributed to the brand's rapid growth, says Jones.

Corbett says year-on-year sales growth has put New Zealand Burger King in the top five of the 30-plus countries in which the brand operates.

For Jones, who was courtside in Indianapolis for three weeks as the Burger King-sponsored Tall Blacks took fourth place in the basketball world champs, it's now time to nut out the synergies of his Australasian business.

The Auckland office of Lowe Worldwide, which already had the account for Burger King New Zealand, has been appointed the Australasian advertising agency in place of Sydney-based incumbent Jack Watts and Currie.

According to Corbett, the trick for the Australasian campaign is to understand the different cultures.

"The Australian culture is a little more demanding, they are a little more inclined to be in your face ... That doesn't impact on the food, but potentially it does impact on how we communicate with them."

Currently, Lowe is working on promotional advertising for both countries, varied only by the voice-overs and tagline.

Corbett says an Australasian brand will take time to develop and is unlikely to roll out until next year.