Ep131 Stephen Anders, CEO, Sushi Sushi - Franchise Business Leader

Sushi Sushi is one of Australia’s most recognized food franchise brands, with over 25 years of heritage in delivering fresh, authentic Japanese cuisine.   In this wide-ranging discussion, Stephen Anders, CEO of Sushi Sushi, shares his journey from global corporate leadership roles in finance, M&A, and marketing including time at Foster’s Group and Treasury Wine Estates to leading one of the country’s most successful QSR franchises.   Stephen reflects on his transition from the corporate world to franchising, the lessons learned through major global acquisitions, and how his early exposure to Japan shaped his appreciation for sushi culture and business innovation.   The conversation dives deep into Sushi Sushi’s post-COVID transformation, covering its renewed focus on technology-driven operations, multi-format retailing, customer loyalty programs, and franchise growth strategy. He also discusses the company’s evolving “RICE” values — respect, innovation, collaboration, and execution as a foundation for cultural and operational excellence.   0:00 Introduction 0:49 How Stephen Anders started in business 2:27 Why financial rigor is the common thread among franchise leaders 4:19 What corporate life was really like at Arthur Andersen  7:03 Stephen’s journey from strategy manager to global wine executive at Foster’s 9:32 How billion-dollar mergers and acquisitions actually come together 11:58 Working across Asia during the currency crisis and discovering Japan’s business culture 16:37 First impressions of franchising after years in global corporate roles 19:17 The moment Sushi Sushi came calling and why Stephen said yes 22:21 What it’s like stepping into a private equity–backed franchise business 24:50 Resetting Sushi Sushi’s strategy after COVID 29:12 Inside a day in the life of Sushi Sushi’s CEO and what Stephen focuses on most  32:58 Sushi Sushi’s sale process and how it impacts future expansion plans 34:43 What’s next for Sushi Sushi and its CEO over the next 3–5 years 35:23 Wrap up   Podcast Produced by:  www.franchisebusinesshub.com.au   Listen or Watch on;   Spotify: https://tinyurl.com/mry9495a Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/5bn8ca8t Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/3m3rkdu6 YouTube: https://youtu.be/_ddGtWoT3IY