Bloody delicious burgers

Amsterdam is a colourful city, famous of course for many different things. THE BUTCHER can now be added to the list of must-do’s when visiting the Dutch capital. Every local in Amsterdam knows of The Butcher and their award-winning burgers. The concept was created in 2012 by the reputable entrepreneur, Yossi Eliyahoo from The Entourage Group, when they opened their first store down the famous Albert Cuyp strip in Amsterdam.

According to Yossi Eliyahoo, the franchise serves customers a burger that you won't regret in the morning, that is also affordably priced. “I think The Butcher is for anyone that values the quality of fast food but not junk food. It’s for people that love burgers but want something better than high street fast food like Burger King or McDonald’s,” said Mr Eliyahoo.

The restaurant’s quick success led to the group opening a second Amsterdam venue on the west side. Once the company got the balance right, they began to expand in 2016, and now have ten stores across Europe, with more on the way. The Butcher aims to be a premium burger bar, targeting an audience of vibrant urbanites, uniting global communities in their casual restaurant environment.

Post-lockdown research has uncovered that burgers are in the top three items on any restaurant menu. Furthermore, 70% of consumers are willing to pay more for a premium burger option with 60% willing to pay extra to upgrade their burger in some fashion. Great news for The Butcher, whom are keen to pick up where they left off in their international expansion, before the Covid crisis came along.

Prior to the pandemic, the brand claimed to have generated sales of €12m (£10.5m) selling their juicy burgers made from Aberdeen Angus beef and locally sourced fresh-vegetables, wrapped in home-made semi-brioche buns and drizzled in their signature special sauces.

Inside the Netherlands there is one store in The Hague and six stores in Amsterdam, with one more store to be opened at the Rai in 2022. The Butcher also has stores in Berlin, Germany; Ibiza, Spain; Manchester, United Kingdom; with a new store being prepared for trading in Milan, Italy.

Chief Executive of the Entourage Group, UK-born Stephanie Juliet Pearson said, “As a group running different restaurant concepts, we have to stay focused. We don’t want to grow too fast as this could lead to a loss of attention and focus. That is why we decided to create a global franchise system for The Butcher that brings this unique burger bar to vibrant cities all over the world.”

UNITS

The Butcher currently has 10 units in total.

SUPPORT FOR THE FRANCHISE

• The Butchers secret recipes
• Cutting-edge interior design
• Durable kitchen equipment
• Quality functional designer furniture
• Branded packaging specifically designed for take-out and delivery
• Negotiated supply lines
• A full array of marketing assets and techniques
• The proven international experience of the franchise’s parent company The Entourage Group at your disposal

BASIC NETWORK REQUIREMENTS

• Existing hospitality companies and family businesses
• Landlords of prominent restaurant property
• Multi-unit franchisees of other food brands seeking diversification
• Store floor space: 300 – 2,000 square ft

FRANCHISEE REQUIREMENTS

Previous successful applicants tend to have the following:

• Former F&B management professionals
• Full understanding of The Butcher brand proposition and its market potential
• Sufficient financial backing to establish the first location without external funding
• An appetite to scale the business sustainably
• Good business sense
• The ability the manage, organise and delegate to a team
• Good numerical skills
• A basic understanding of the commercial property market

Franchisee's will need to make a minimum investment of £150,000, with additional financial support on offer. Depending on your credit history, you may be eligible for some advantageous start-up loans from major high street banks that will cover up to 50% of your costs. While the final cost of your franchise business will depend on the scale and location of your franchise, there are differnt options available. 

KEY FIGURES

• Minimum investment: £150,000 + VAT
• Total expected investment: £300,000 + VAT
• Franchise fees: £25,000 + VAT
• Royalty fee: 6%
• Advertising fee: 2%