Fast food chain Burger-Fuel is considering an NZAX listing.
The chain, which specialises in upmarket burgers, said it had already had positive discussions with exchange operator NZX.
It would decide within a month, and, if it did proceed, it would seek to raise around $20 million.
Burger-Fuel is
owned by Chris Mason, who founded the company 11 years ago, and Josef Roberts, who bought in five years ago.
It began with one store in Ponsonby and now has 20 franchised outlets.
Roberts, who set up the Red Bull beverage in Australasia before selling it to Red Bull Europe, said an exchange listing was still just an option at present, but the prospects looked good.
The company is getting advice from investment advisers Grant Samuel.
Burger-Fuel is nothing if not ambitious. Roberts told NZPA he believed there would be outlets in every suburb around the world in 10 years.
"We definitely see ourselves as a global brand."
It has already spent more than $250,000 establishing intellectual rights to its brand in 20 countries including Russia, China and India.
If it did raise $20 million, it would be spent on marketing, branding and setting up franchises around the world.
So far it has just one overseas franchise - in Sydney - with a second about to open.
Roberts is not worried about rising obesity and health concerns about burgers as a food.
"There are burgers and there are burgers," he said.
He said other burger companies were moving towards the quality end of the market where Burger-Fuel had already been positioned.
The company plans to expand rapidly in Australia - having 100 outlets within five years - and then move into Britain and the United States.
Roberts said he knew the pitfalls of operating in Australia from his Red Bull experience.
While the market might be six times as large, the competition was much more aggressive.
- NZPA
