Strategies That Made Friends & Brgrs a Top Burger Chain in Finland

The Food Service Growth Show

Welcome back to another exciting episode of the Food Service Growth Show, where we dive deep into the stories, strategies, and secrets of some of the most successful foodservice brands across the globe.
Today’s episode is an absolute treat for foodservice industry professionals and enthusiasts alike, as we’re joined by the prominent leader in the food service industry, Isak Fagerholm, COO at Friends & Brgrs, one of Finland’s most beloved burger chains.
In this episode, Carl Jacobs, CEO of Apicbase, and Isak Fagerholm, COO at Friends & Brgrs, will talk about...
✅ How Friends & Brgrs overcame early challenges?
✅ Friends & Brgrs’ journey from 1 to 29 restaurants
✅ How Partners helped Friends & Brgrs professionalize and expand?
✅ How Friends & Brgrs adapted its expansion goals after COVID?
✅ The role of KPIs in driving success at Friends & Brgrs
✅ How Friends & Brgrs maintains quality across restaurants?
✅ How Friends & Brgrs retains talent in a competitive industry?
✅ The role of technology in running a 30-outlet restaurant chain
✅ Solving problems and building relationships at Friends & Brgrs
✅ What is the next big thing in the food service industry?
Every business faces its own set of challenges when starting, and Friends & Brgrs is no exception. Isak talks about the key hurdles they encountered in the early days and, more importantly, how they overcame them.
Isak will take us through the entire journey of Friends & Brgrs. He will highlight the key decisions, growth phases, and milestones that helped them scale their operations. From humble beginnings to operating 29 locations, the growth story of Friends & Brgrs is nothing short of impressive.
As a company grows, so does the complexity of its operations. Friends & Brgrs knew they couldn’t achieve their ambitious growth goals alone. Isak will share how strategic partnerships helped them professionalize their operations and expand their footprint. From aligning with the right investors to partnering with right vendors, the role of collaboration in their success is a central theme.
Isak explains how the chain reevaluated its expansion goals in light of the pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the entire food service industry, forcing brands to rethink their strategies and operations.
For any restaurant chain, measuring success is key. Friends & Brgrs employs a range of KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to ensure they stay on track and continuously improve their performance.
One of the biggest challenges for multi-unit operations is maintaining consistent quality across all locations. Isak shares the strategies that Friends & Brgrs uses to ensure that every burger served, whether in Helsinki or Stockholm, meets the same high standards.
Isak reveals the initiatives they’ve implemented to retain talent, from creating a positive work c

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