AML Foods has decided to pull the plug on its Carl’s Jr franchise and close all three outlets, Tribune Business confirmed yesterday, although no job losses will result.
Renea Bastian, vice-president of marketing for the BISX-listed food retail and franchise group, said all affected employees would simply be redeployed throughout the company’s other brands, which include Solomon’s, Cost Right, Solomon’s Fresh Market and Domino’s Pizza.
“All of the Carl’s Jr restaurants are closed as of December 10,” she said. “There has been no loss of jobs. All persons who were employed with Carl’s Jr will be placed within AML’s existing businesses.
“Everyone has basically been reassigned in either Dominos or the delis associated with food stores,” added Ms Bastian, estimating that there were less than 50 persons employed between the three Carl’s Jr locations on the East-West Highway, Carmichael Road and the Mall at Marathon.
The move is not a complete surprise, given that Tribune Business reported back in October that AML had “paused” the expansion of its Carl’s Jr hamburger franchise, after failing to generate the return on investment (ROI) it was targeting.
Gavin Watchorn, AML Foods’ president and chief executive, said at the time: “You’ve got to get a return on your investment, and we’re not getting the return we want.
“We’re not going to invest any further until we get the return on investment we want.”
When AML Foods acquired the rights to the Carl’s Jr brand for the Bahamas in early 2012, the group had talked of investing $3-$4 million over a five-year period to grow Carl’s Jr to a five-store chain with an annual $15 million top-line at full build-out.
The hamburger/fast food market in the Bahamas is highly competitive, with Wendy’s; Burger King; McDonald’s and other brands acting as its main rivals. AML Foods, which also has the Domino’s Pizza franchise, is battling for market share directly with Chris and Terry Tsavoussis, the Aetos Holdings principals (Wendy’s, Marco’s Pizza and Popeyes Chicken), plus George Myers and the Myers Group.
AML Foods Limited, one of the country’s largest supermarket chains, recently opened its third Solomon’s-branded store on New Providence, with the newest store located in Yamacraw. That outlet adds to the company’s four retail and wholesale grocery outlets currently in New Providence - Solomon’s Super Centre, Cost Right Wholesale and Solomon’s Fresh Market Harbour Bay and Old Fort Bay.
Comments
ohdrap4 7 years ago
another case of people making projects for 300,000 people as if the market had 3 million.
same with alive and btc, it is just canibalism.
many many fast food franchises have closed over the years.
banker 7 years ago
I looked into ALIV. I think that in 3 years BTC will either not exist or be a shadow of itself.
sheeprunner12 7 years ago
If ALIV is anything like Cable Bahamas in the Out Islands ........ BTC will always have customers
John2 7 years ago
They could have survived if they had found a way to put that Kentucky fried chicken flavour on them Burgers.
sheeprunner12 7 years ago
DocSands should present a Bill in Parliament to BAN every US fast food and local chicken-in-the-bag joint from Nassau .......... That is why 70% of Bahamians are OBESE today.
And while he is at it .......... Ban all lard, cooking oil, margarine and yellow cheese as well.
John2 7 years ago
if he does that he would cause the first riot since Burma Road
CommonSense 7 years ago
Carl's had HORRIBLE service (especially at the Carmichael location) and their prices were too high for subpar food and service. Ultimately, it was the employees' faults because they're responsible for preparing the food and providing the service. I'm not surprised that they're closing down already. We have enough burger joints. Bring a Pollo Tropical!
John 7 years ago
Pollo Tropical is too healthy for Nassau. And some company has been holding on to the Red Lobster franchise for a while but not opening it up here. Lol but besides Carl's Jr. losing its taste appeal with Bahamians there was a major concern s that some of the chemicals in Carl's food could cause cancer and or birth defects. Some states in the US required these restaurants to post warning signs at their locations and this caused a big fall off in business. Some foods are meant to be cooked to order and not meant to be defrosted and served from a microwave. And one of them is grilled beef or chicken. It tastes bitter after it has been stored after being cooked. There is another chain that is also losing its appeal with Bahamians. They sell mainly chicken and while they may still have good traffic, their sales have fallen off tremendously.
sheeprunner12 7 years ago
U mean the Cajun place???????
ThisIsOurs 7 years ago
I always wondered who ate there..,.
John 7 years ago
In the main time two local Bahamian restaurants seem to be doing really well. One has expanded overseas and the other is planning a fifth location in New Providence. The peas and rice and Mac could never be as bad as the poison some of the foreign food chains are selling. The next phase is to get local restaurants to use more Bahamian grown produce and chicken especially. The chicken that comes from the US is not only forced grown and laden with hormones (yes young girls are growing breasts at 5) but it is also chlorinated. A chemical process that makes the meat look pink and the blood clear. (When the meat is still raw)
sheeprunner12 7 years ago
The imported chicken (and its parts) is the chief cause of cancer in our country.
JMF 7 years ago
John you are absolutely right. The state of the Bahamian healthcare system warrants Bahamians to eat healthy. Most of the health issues Bahamians are suffering with today was unheard of 20 years ago. Eat Bahamian food and live.
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