Sporting flavours of successful biz

Beef ‘O’ Brady's, one of the fastest growing family sports restaurant brand in the US, is coming to India. It will be known as “O’ Brady’s” here in India. In a tête-à-tête, with Namita Bhagat, James R. Walker, Chief Development Officer, Beef ‘O’ Brady's, talks about the brand's entry into India and its expansion plans for the Indian market.

Brief us on the origin and development of Beef ‘O’ Brady’s.

In 1985, Jim Mellody dreamed up the idea of a neighborhood pub where friends and families could gather to enjoy good food and sports in a fun-filled, comfortable atmosphere. Together with his wife Jeanette, they created the now-famous Beef 'O' Brady's. The first restaurant opened in Brandon, Florida, US. Inspired by a love of sports, Jim filled his restaurant with TVs and satellite dishes so that patrons could enjoy watching a vast array of sporting events. He also covered the walls with authentic sports memorabilia he had collected through the years. As a final touch, he made sure a traditional Irish Blessing graced every menu, bidding good fortune and happy times to all who visited. As the brand's story grew, so too did the menu that includes the award-winning wings available in 12 signature sauces as well as signature favourites with an Irish twist. Today, Beef 'O' Brady’s is one of the fastest growing restaurants in the US.

Share with us the brand's presence in home and overseas markets.

We began franchising our concept in 1998. Currently, we have 213 locations in home market, of which seven are corporate-owned and operated. Our first international location will open in Dammam in Saudi Arabia next month, followed by Qatar, Kuwait, and Mongolia.

What are the brand’s expansion plans for India? What's its potential here?

Beef 'O' Brady's, or 'O' Brady's as it will be know in India, will follow the Master Franchise model in the Indian market. The brand's USP is that it is a family sports restaurant. We focus on high quality food in a fun-filled, sports-oriented environment. Our fresh food approach to a casual theme restaurant allows us to be very competitive internationally, and our sports themed concept offers us a very unique edge. We expect to conclude our master franchisee selection for India shortly, and open our first locations in 2013.

Would you tweak the concept according to local market conditions?

Yes, we have already built a menu programme specific to the Indian market which removes all beef products, and adds increased chicken and vegetarian options.

How lucrative is the business opportunity for an interested Indian franchisee?

We believe we have a strong business model. The investment and profitability range, depending on location, of course, varies according to territory. However, we believe that we have worked hard to ensure we have a menu and plan that should allow our master franchisees, an opportunity to be financially successful.

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