Ep77 The Squires Loft Franchise Business Model with Jeff Leipnik & Alec Palexas

With 15 locations built over 30 years, Squires Loft could well be considered a bit of a ‘hidden gem’ with it’s unmatched attention to detail in flavour and grilling steaks, ribs, chicken and more across its one of a kind locations. We spoke with Alec Palexas, General Manager & Operations Manager, and Jeff Leipnik, Franchisor on the brand and franchise business model.   Squires Loft has its own dedicated manufacturing facility to provide a controlled, high level of quality product for all locations, with production built around a focus of flavour being critical.   We discuss the unique qualities that set Squires Loft apart from other steakhouses, focusing on their distinctive flavour profile derived from a proprietary base sauce made with 27 ingredients.   We also explore operational efficiencies such as their "knifeless kitchen" concept, as well as the flat fee structure for franchisees and site selection.   Contact Squires Loft Franchising here; https://squiresloft.com.au/franchise/   0:00 Introduction 0:42 Squires Loft origins and its focus on quality steaks for over 30 years 1:20 15 locations currently, with 14 in VIC and 1 in WA, and how franchisees have found the business 2:25 Explanation of the unique flavour developed through meticulous ingredient selection in a Central Kitchen 3:47 The flavour detail with 27 ingredients and the point of difference 4:59 The ”knifeless kitchen" concept which simplifies operations by using pre-portioned ingredients 5:58 The model with vertical integration and reducing staff challenges 6:49 The type of people trained to work in the business’ kitchen 7:44 Having a small kitchen crew with often 3 people needed 8:58 Proprietary grills used made to specification 10:54 Breakdown of franchise fee structure highlighting a royalty-free model that supports franchisees 12:20 Insights into site selection criteria emphasising uniqueness over cookie-cutter approaches in outlet designs 14:35 Wrap up   Podcast Produced by: www.magneticbusinessmedia.com.au Franchise Stories and Knowledge Base (our other website): www.franchisebuyer.com.au   Listen or Watch on; Spotify:  https://tinyurl.com/4eftn726 Apple Podcasts: https://tinyurl.com/46nj5ccz Amazon Music: https://tinyurl.com/272jxcn8 YouTube:  https://youtu.be/jMRWCOBomms