Bristol bar Brace & Browns is well known for its bottomless brunches and pizza deals but it has now entered the takeaway and delivery market for the first time. The popular Whiteladies Road venue has joined forces with Taster, the delivery-first restaurant group which is already operating in 50 major cities in Europe including Paris, Madrid and Brussels.
It’s the first time Taster has secured a franchise partner in Bristol. It already has kitchen partners based in London, Brighton, Reading and Birmingham and is expanding fast following $37million in investor funding last year.
Brace & Browns customers can now order two new brands from Taster’s delivery-only portfolio, Korean fried chicken ‘Out Fry’ and ‘A Burgers’ (dirty vegan burgers). The food will be prepared and delivered by the team at Brace & Browns and available through Deliveroo and Uber Eats.
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Taster is the UK’s first ‘delivery-first’ restaurant group and uses a modern franchise model to partner with restaurateurs and kitchen owners, allowing them to tap into the booming takeaway market. Taster provides the already established food brands, marketing support, delivery platform management and proprietary tech; franchise partners such as Brace & Browns provide the physical kitchen space, staff and equipment.
Anton Soulier, CEO and founder of Taster, said: “The food delivery scene in Bristol is huge. We’re already having positive conversations with kitchen owners across the city who are excited about the opportunity around food designed specifically for delivery. Our franchise model is a truly unique proposition and we’re now looking for more kitchen partners to work with so we can strengthen our footprint right across Bristol.”
Franchise partners are supported with a strong marketing campaign at launch and return on their investment is predicted to be fast. The average partner, according to Taster, has revenues of between £15-30k per month, with those outside of London hitting the higher end of that scale.
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In Paris, Taster’s restaurants are the third largest by value on Deliveroo, behind McDonald’s and Burger King. Brace & Browns received 100 orders for the new delivery-only items on the first day and owner Dave Brown says he’s excited about the possibilities of the new collaboration.
“The team at Taster have been very supportive with training and the set up process has been smooth so far. We’re excited to be bringing ‘Out Fry’ and ‘A Burgers’ to Bristol alongside our existing business.
“After 12 years of trading, we are looking to diversify and add growth after a tough few months. We know that food delivery is a booming market and we want to be part of it.”
Taster is now looking for other Bristol businesses to follow Brace & Browns and become franchise partners. The company defines ideal partners as those with the vision to join the delivery era, as well as those with staff and space that could be optimised.
This might be restaurants that have staff on full salaries, but quieter lunchtimes. It could be hotels with room service capability but sporadic guest orders, or a food business with fluctuating or seasonal sales.
With a minimal set-up fee, a short four to six week set-up process and the ability to generate revenue from day one, there are few barriers in place for the right Taster partner. Taster has built a suite of tools that streamline kitchen operations, including demand forecasting algorithms, a supply chain and quality control tool, an API bringing together orders from various delivery platforms, and its own iOS and Android loyalty app.
Soulier adds: “We work with a lot of tech-savvy partners with entrepreneurial mindsets. We’re not looking for restaurants that are struggling and looking to make a quick buck - our partners are ambitious business owners.
“At Taster, we want to redefine the taste and experience of delivery food. We have strong brands, innovative tech and a model that works for partners and customers alike.”
Concepts in the Taster family currently include Korean fried chicken restaurant Out Fry, Vietnamese street food Mission Saigon, vegan dirty burger brand A Burgers, Nashville fried chicken Pepe Chicken, and smashed burgers, Saucy Buns.
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