Find A FranchiseFind A FranchiseFind A Franchise
Melbourne, Australia

Exclusive Interview: “Proud to be the only national franchised beverage caterer”

  • Home
  • Blog
  • Interview
  • Exclusive Interview: “Proud to be the only national franchised beverage caterer”

An Australian Franchisor Interview

largekubarz_drew2.jpg

Franchisors name:Drew Davies
Name of franchise:Kubarz

Tell us about how/when Kubarz was started and the motivation behind establishing the company

Kubarz Beverage Catering was originally founded as On Tap Beverage Catering in 2003. It initially operated on the central coast of NSW as a “part time” business until 2006 when it was moved down to Sydney and that’s when the business really began to flourish.

I invested the time and money it needed and from there it quickly grew to one the most recognised and well known beverage catering companies in Sydney.

Not only did the business grow but demand did as well throughout the country, we decided to expand our operations and reach by franchising the very successful business model and systems to cover more area, a fresh, new, and modern facelift was also required. Franchise systems were produced and an exciting launch occurred with a new name, new website, and a fresh modern look – Kubarz Beverage Catering was born.

When and why did you decide to go down the franchise route with Kubarz?

We were completely ready to go to market with the franchise model in January 2012 after two years of hard work establishing the systems and operations model. As discussed earlier from our single office in Sydney we could not reach the enquiries and demand we were getting from all around the country so we knew we had to expand.

Franchising was a great model for us allowing franchisees to on one hand have their own unique business but on the other follow the successful business systems and model that had worked for Kubarz for years previously.

What have been Kubarz’s biggest achievements/successes to date so far?

Without doubt it’s the franchisees we have recruited. Business is all about customer service and relationships and I am so pleased to say that on the back of now having locations in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and ACT the people behind the Kubarz franchise are professional, motivated and focussed and customer service and success – at the end of the day within a franchise network you are only as good as your franchisees – and ours are terrific!

What challenges have you had to overcome?

At this stage our biggest challenge would be ensuring we recruit the right people to be franchisees and I am very proud to say that we have succeeded and all of our current franchisees are absolutely fantastic.

For us it’s ensuring we have the right people representing Kubarz and we get a lot of people enquiring to become a Kubarz franchisee but through a thorough recruitment program that we formulated I am pleased to say we have had 100% success so far with all of our current franchisees being wonderful people and great business owners.

What marketing/promotional tools do you use to grow your franchise?

Where do I start! We use a combination of off line and online marketing strategies to not only promote Kubarz and our services but we also use similar strategies to recruit franchisees as well.

The important thing for us is that there is a mix and balance, having a good marketing mix is essential to ensure you are hitting all areas of the market and that’s what our marketing team focus on.

What differentiates Kubarz from the competition?

We pride ourselves on customer service, in fact “above and beyond” is one of our key mottos within the network and we deliver on that whether it’s prior to a function or during a function, all staff are aware of this and it’s a huge focus of ours.

Being the only national franchised beverage caterer in the country also allows us to leverage off our size and network, add to that the fact we have been around since 2003 and we pride ourselves on being a market leader.

In your opinion, what makes a successful Kubarz franchisee?

A certain level of determination to succeed, like in any business you get out what you put in. Having said that it’s not only about what goes on behind the scenes but the ability to look after clients, their needs and leave them with a smile on their face is essential. We are providing memorable experiences and it’s important we go “above and beyond”.

What changes have you seen in your industry over recent year? And how have you adapted to them?

I would say the biggest change movement in the “function and event” scene is the cracking down on alcohol related violence within the community, particular at licensed pubs and clubs. It’s a great thing the government is getting on board to do something about the unnecessary injuries and violence in the community.

People are now looking for safer, more controlled events at their own private homes, offices or venues, that’s where we can step in and ensure the event goes smoothly with no incidents and we are seeing more of this where we can work with our clients in regards to having “safe” event.

What does the future hold for Kubarz? What expansion plans have you got nationally and internationally?

At this stage we are very excited to continue to expand around the country, we only ever plan on being a boutique franchise with limited areas available around Australia, we don’t won’t a Kubarz on every street corner, we want to ensure a franchisees success and keep the “team” environment between the network in Australia.

Saying that on an international scale we are looking at expanding (on the back of a lot of interest) into New Zealand as well as looking at the UK and American markets in the future as well.

What advice would you give to someone considering franchising their business?

Ensure the business is viable in a “local” sense, do the research and put in the time to make sure your local franchisees will be successful. Then don’t take shortcuts, be thorough in your operations manuals, work hard, be patient and always, always, always only select the right people to represent your company – they will make or break the business.

If you had to do it all again, what would you do differently?

I can’t honestly say I have any regrets, I took my time, I was thorough and patient and now a few years later we are gaining amazing momentum and so excited for what the future holds for Kubarz and our wonderful franchisees.

To request our franchise prospectus, complete the short form here.

Request information on franchise ownership of Kubarz franchise