Spur Steak Ranches
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| Spur Corporation | |
| Company type | Public (JSE: SUR) Franchise |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Genre | Casual dining |
| Founded | 24 October 1967 |
| Founder | Allen Ambor |
| Headquarters | Century City, Cape Town, South Africa |
Number of locations | Over 639 restaurants across the group. |
Key people | Mike Bosman (Non-Executive Chairman) Val Nichas (CEO) Cristina Teixeira (CFO) Kevin Robertson (COO) |
| Products | Casual dining restaurant franchise |
| Revenue |  R3 045.2 million, up 27.4% (2022: R2 391.1 million)(FY 2023)[1] |
| R292.5 million, up 40.0% (2022: R208.9 million) (FY 2023)[2] | |
| R318.4 million, up 51.9% (2022: R209.7 million) (FY 2023)[2] | |
| Subsidiaries | Spur Steak Ranches Panarottis RocoMamas John Dory's The Hussar Grill Casa Bella Nikos Coalgrill Greek Doppio Zero Piza é Vino and Modern Tailors |
| Website | www www |
Spur Corporation Limited (JSE: SUR) is a casual dining franchised restaurant group of over 640 outlets across South Africa, Africa, Mauritius and the Middle East. The head office of Spur Corporation is situated in Century City, Cape Town, although the founding and flagship brand is the Spur Steak Ranches restaurants. Spur Steak Ranches is a South African family favourite and is known as "the official restaurant of the South African family"; as such, most Spur restaurants include a children's play area.
The group was founded over 57 years ago. It owns ten casual dining and fast casual restaurant brands, including some of South Africa’s iconic family restaurant brands such as Spur Steak Ranches, Panarottis and John Dory’s as well as the trendy fast-casual brand RocoMamas. The Group’s bespoke speciality restaurant brands include The Hussar Grill, Casa Bella, Nikos Coalgrill Greek. In 2023, Spur Corporation acquired a 60% interest in the Doppio Collection, which houses restaurant brands Doppio Zero, Piza é Vino and Modern Tailors.
History and growth[edit]
In 1967 founder and former executive chairman, Allen Ambor, opened the Golden Spur on Dean Street in Newlands, Cape Town in South Africa. Ambor started the first restaurant with R2,000 of his own money, R4,000 from his father and an additional R5,000 from a partner who was eventually bought out; amounting to a total starting capital of R11,000. The restaurant was opened on the 24 October 1967. The original restaurant moved to a new location at the corner of Dean and Main Road in the 2000s and closed in 2020.
A second Spur, the Seven Spur, was opened in Sea Point, Cape Town soon after the 1967 opening. After the success of the second Spur Ambor decided on a franchise model to facilitate the spread of the restaurants across the country.
The Spur Group consists of Spur International, Spur Steak Ranches, Panarottis Pizza Pasta, John Dory’s Fish Grill Sushi, The Hussar Grill, RocoMamas, Nikos Coalgrill Greek, Casa Bella and has a 60% interest in the Doppio Collection. It currently has over 639 outlets worldwide, with restaurants in various parts of Africa, Mauritius and the Middle East.
Operations[edit]
The Spur Group has its headquarters in Century City, Cape Town, with regional offices in Johannesburg and Durban as well as an international office in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, supporting the company’s international operations. Restaurants are owned by franchisees or directly by the company. As of February 2024, Spur Steak Ranches has 304 stores located in South Africa and 30 stores located internationally.
Africa and Mauritius[edit]
- Botswana
- Eswatini
- Kenya
- Namibia
- Nigeria
- South Africa
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Mauritius
- Ghana
- Lesotho
- DRC
- India
- Saudi Arabia
Australasia[edit]
In 2020, the chain was forced to temporarily close all of restaurants amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.[3]
Brands[edit]
Spur Steak Ranches[edit]
Spur Steak Ranches’ core product offering consists of steaks, ribs and burgers. In addition, the brand’s offering comprises of chicken, schnitzels, seafood, wraps, sandwiches, salads, desserts, breakfasts and a dedicated children’s menu. The burgers have four options: beef, chicken, soya and rib.
Spur Steak Ranches also sells food to takeaway, delivering in some locations.[5]
Spur Steak Ranches operates a sauce manufacturing facility that supplies franchisees with the brand’s sauces. Its sauces and marinades are also retailed in major South African retailers, along with certain products, which are externally manufactured under licence, such as frozen ribs and burger patties.
Panarottis pizza and pasta[edit]
The company also owns the Panarottis pizza and pasta restaurant chain. This chain was started in 1990[6] and has 84 outlets.[7]
John Dory’s Fish and Grill[edit]
The Spur Group purchased a 60% shareholding in John Dory’s Fish and Grill in 2004.[6] John Dory's is a KwaZulu-Natal-based franchise with 54 outlets.
Controversies[edit]
2017 racist incident[edit]
In March 2017, a racially charged incident occurred between two customers in a South African Spur Steak Ranch restaurant when a black African family got into an expletive-filled argument with a white Afrikaner family, after the black child reportedly hit the white child. The restaurant banned the white family, but not the black family.[8] White Afrikaners criticised and ultimately boycotted the restaurant, which was staffed by black Africans, for siding with the black family, as well as for not doing more to break up the fight. The restaurant chain also received criticism for its slow official response, which was judged inadequate.[9]
Native American logo[edit]
The brand’s logo has undergone a significant transformation, featuring a more eye-catching and stylized look. The updated design incorporates striking shapes and vivid colours for the chief icon, along with a bolder Spur typeface. These enhancements have revitalized the brand’s visual identity, ensuring it stands out across all touchpoints.
The redesign introduces a contemporary visual language that is particularly impactful in the restaurant environment. These visual changes have not only elevated the brand's presence in physical locations but also in its communications, creating a stronger and more dynamic brand image.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ "Final Results 2023" (PDF). Spur Corporation. 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ a b "Final Results 2023" (PDF). Spur Corporation. 2023. Retrieved 30 June 2023.
- ^ "Paper menus and no pouring of drinks: Here's how Ocean Basket restaurants will change". BusinessInsider. Retrieved 17 July 2020.
- ^ Breakfast with Martin Bester (1 November 2023). "Restaurant chain Spur reveals a huge surprise!". jacaranda fm. Retrieved 10 April 2024.
- ^ "From Small Beginnings To Big Brands - A taste for life - Spur - Wattpad". www.wattpad.com. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ a b New Tourism Ventures: An Entrepreneurial and Managerial Approach. p. 77.
- ^ "Top 20 fast food franchises that make the most money in South Africa". businesstech.co.za. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ Khoza, Leeto M. (March 2017). "[WATCH] Heated confrontation at Spur sparks outrage". ewn.co.za. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
- ^ "Spur struggling as hangover for racist social media storm continues to bite". www.timeslive.co.za. Retrieved 2 March 2019.
External links[edit]
- Restaurants established in 1967
- Companies listed on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange
- Food and drink companies based in Cape Town
- Restaurant franchises
- Restaurant chains in South Africa
- Steakhouses
- 1967 establishments in South Africa
- Restaurants in South Africa
- Newlands, Cape Town
- Native American cultural appropriation
- Stereotypes of Native American people