Burger brand charts big expansion plans

Gourmet burger brand, Burger Urge, has opened a Sydney office and revealed plans for eastern seaboard expansion, including the roll-out of 37 new restaurants by 2020.

Burger Urge has announced it will open five new restaurants in the second half of the year, will additional openings along the east coast including Port Macquarie, Toowoomba and Brisbane CBD.

Sean Carthew, Burger Urge director, said the brand’s expansion plans follow a period of significant restructure and refocus.

“Like any fast-growing business, we’ve made our fair share of mistakes and have learned a lot,” Carthew said. “Most significantly, we learned that we need to be very careful who we take advice from and who we let into our inner circle.”

Carthew said part of Burger Urge’s restructure would see the company “return to its roots.”

“When Burger Urge began 10 years ago, we made absolutely everything from scratch – we made our own patties, we hand-cut the chips, we even made sauces in-house,” he said. “It was the focus on the integrity of our food that generated lines down Brunswick Street every Saturday. It sounds simple, but by returning to our roots, we’ve not only won back the hearts and bellies of our regular customers but attracted a new legion of Burger Urge fans.”

With its recent menu refresh, Burger Urge is now heading south – physically – in a bid to grow the brand’s national presence.

“We are proud to have 22 restaurants throughout Queensland but it’s now time to stretch our wings and seek out the next opportunity,” Carthew said.

The brand has launched a Newcastle restaurant last May and will open its second NSW site in Port Macquarie next month.