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Business View Australia - July 2015 123
FRANCHISING
seven or eight staff working at one
time.
Built into the feel good message
too, are economically sustainable
practices. Some examples include
the use of recycled timber, eco-
friendly lighting, and using free
range eggs and chicken. Their
ongoing work with different partners
has allowed them to produce the
same quality in a more cost efficient
manner. Interest in the brand has
arisen all over the world, with many
enquiries directed to Mills about
whether a Wasabi Warriors store
could be opened in their country.
“I don’t normally chase international
business. We very much focus on
Australia and our own backyard, but
we’ve had quite a lot of international
interest in Wasabi Warriors, so we
are now open in the Philippines and
Hong Kong and have an agreement
in the Middle East with Wasabi
Warriors. With Hong Kong and the
Philippines we got a great response
to the ‘eat good, do good, feel
good’ philosophy. People are really
responding well to that, so that’s
been very fulfilling,” says Mills.
The growth of the business goes
beyond the traditional franchising
model. The frustration of not being
able to provide sushi outside a
traditional retail outlet, led Mills to
purchase Sushi Ginza, the wholesale
arm of the business. Now, there
are opportunities to provide sushi
to new, untapped markets such as