What BurgerFuel Group does

BurgerFuel Group is a privately-held, New Zealand ('kiwi-owned') restaurant holding company founded in 1995 and headquartered in Auckland. The group manages a portfolio of brands including the flagship BurgerFuel gourmet burger chain, Shake Out (shakes), and Winner Winner (chicken meals), operating through a franchise model with 60+ stores across New Zealand and the Middle East. The company's primary commercial customers are franchisees — individuals and small operators who license the brand, undergo 12-16 weeks of training, and operate individual store locations under BurgerFuel's systems, supplier agreements, and brand standards.

The group's core product is the BurgerFuel restaurant chain, with hand-crafted burgers built fresh to order. This core is supported by several integrated modules: the VIB Club mobile loyalty programme, Radio BurgerFuel (a curated in-store audio service), an online ordering platform (eat.burgerfuel.com) for delivery and collection, and a catering service for events and groups. No proprietary technology platform, AI/ML system, or API stack is disclosed; the technical footprint appears to be standard restaurant POS, online ordering, and a mobile loyalty app.

Revenue is generated through two streams: (1) franchise fees and royalties paid by franchisees for the right to operate under the BurgerFuel brand, access training, supplier relationships, and operational systems; and (2) direct retail revenue from company-owned stores. Franchise pricing is not publicly disclosed and prospective operators must complete a structured application process; the company requires franchisees to fund at least 60% of the business with assets and cash. The go-to-market is a franchise-led expansion model with field team support, local store marketing tools, and a multi-channel consumer marketing approach combining the VIB Club, online ordering, catering, in-store Radio BurgerFuel, and community event participation.

Name

BurgerFuel Group

Legal name

BurgerFuel Group

Website

https://burgerfuelgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gourmet Burger Restaurants

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

akta.pro primary industry

Burger QSR (THAFAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Multi-Concept / Global QSR Chains (Mixed Menus) (THAFAAAO)

Keywords

• Gourmet burger restaurants
• Restaurant franchise operations
• Quick service dining
• Franchise management services
• Burger restaurant chain

Headquarters

HQ city

Auckland

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Franchise fees and royalties: BurgerFuel generates revenue through franchise fees from franchisees who operate individual stores. Franchisees pay for the right to use the BurgerFuel brand, systems, training, and support. The company also operates company-owned stores.
2. Company-owned store operations: BurgerFuel Group operates some company-owned stores directly, generating revenue from retail burger sales directly to consumers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

BurgerFuel Group operates and franchises a gourmet burger restaurant chain under the BurgerFuel brand, with 60+ stores across New Zealand and the Middle East. The company sells hand-crafted burgers built fresh to order through franchisee-operated and company-owned stores, while also offering the VIB Club loyalty programme, Radio BurgerFuel in-store audio, online ordering (eat.burgerfuel.com), and catering services. It also runs a structured franchise programme providing training, supplier relationships, marketing tools, and ongoing field support to franchisees.

Product overview

BurgerFuel Group operates a unified gourmet burger restaurant brand with a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core product is the BurgerFuel restaurant chain (60+ stores), which is supported by several integrated modules: the VIB Club loyalty programme, Radio BurgerFuel streaming audio service, online ordering via eat.burgerfuel.com, and catering services. The group also operates a franchise programme enabling independent operators to open BurgerFuel locations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• BurgerFuel Restaurant Chain New Zealand-owned gourmet burger restaurant chain operating 60+ stores across New Zealand and the Middle East, featuring hand-crafted burgers built fresh to order. Targets consumers seeking premium fast-food burgers with distinctive flavor and atmosphere.
• VIB Club Loyalty Programme Loyalty programme offering exclusive deals and rewards, accessible via a mobile app, designed to drive customer engagement and repeat purchases from end consumers.
• Online Ordering Web-based ordering platform enabling customers to order burgers online for pickup or delivery, with direct integration to local store operations. Targets end consumers wanting convenient remote ordering.

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• RedBack Coffee & Burger Co. Smaller NZ/AU regional burger chain. Adjacent regional competitor to BurgerFuel in the Oceania premium-burger niche.
• Grill'd: Australian premium-burger QSR chain with company-owned and franchise stores. Closest peer by market profile and brand positioning in Oceania, though it primarily operates across the Tasman rather than in NZ/Middle East.
• Better Burger: New Zealand-based gourmet burger chain. Direct competitor in BurgerFuel's home market with overlapping customer demographic and product offering.

Direct peers

• Shake Shack: Premium gourmet burger QSR chain operating company-owned and franchised stores globally. Most directly comparable to BurgerFuel on positioning, menu architecture (burgers, shakes) and franchise model.
• Five Guys: Premium burger QSR chain with strong franchising/franchisee culture and international expansion (Middle East among them). Comparable to BurgerFuel on premium positioning and franchise-led growth.
• BurgerFi International: Public, US-based gourmet burger QSR with a franchise model. Closely comparable to BurgerFuel on premium-burger positioning, scale and franchise-led growth strategy.

Broad incumbents

• Wendy's: Global burger QSR incumbent operating primarily through franchising. Comparable on revenue model (franchise royalties/fees), menu focus and unit economics scale — a much larger incumbent benchmark.
• McDonald's: Largest global QSR franchisor with deep consumer-brand recognition across NZ and the Middle East. The structural incumbent benchmark for BurgerFuel's franchise economics and unit economics.
• Habit Burger Grill: US-based charburger QSR chain, now owned by Yum! Brands, with a heavily franchised model. Comparable on premium burger category and franchise economics at greater scale.
• Yum! Brands (KFC): Global franchisor (KFC, Taco Bell, Pizza Hut) with significant Middle East and NZ/QSR presence. Relevant as a benchmark for franchise infrastructure and multi-concept portfolio strategy, aligned with BurgerFuel's BurgerFuel/Shake Out/Winner Winner play.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/burgerfuelgroup

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about BurgerFuel Group