Mr Biggs, Nigeria's Oldest Quick Service Restaurant, Seeks to Rebrand, Faces Competition From Newcomers
- Mr Biggs, Nigeria's oldest fast-food restaurant is trying to make a comeback with rebranding ideas
- The franchise of the UAC has added new menus and begun offering local cuisine to lure customers
- But analysts say it is going to be a tough nut to crack as the company now faces bigger competition from newcomers
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There is a fresh push by Mr Biggs to reposition itself as the market becomes saturated and Nigeria's oldest Quick service restaurant battles for survival.
Founded in 1986, Mr Biggs was the rave of the moment in the 1980s and 1990s. Now it's been pushed to the background by competitors who have taken a huge bit from its market share.
Source: Getty Images
Offers new menus and varieties
BusinessDay reports that the UAC franchise is having a huge makeover to lure back its customers, who are now in their early 40s and 50s.
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The franchise is rebranding and expanding its menu offerings by adding newer dishes and varieties.
The brand has added new local menus and even taken on spice kings, Dominos, with its Pizza Debonaire brand located in choice areas in Lagos.
"Enjoy Asun @discounted price, freshly baked snacks & Chop Up meals from N900, drinks, gift items and more @ our reopened store, the company said in a text message sent to customers.
Latest push not enough, expert says
But experts have faulted the latest push by Mr Biggs to lure back customers.
Japhet Okoroanyawu, a brand analyst, said that the brand needs a complete overhaul of not just its menus but its entire management needs to be changed.
Okoroanyanwu said the current management is not in tune with the latest trends.
"What they need is fast-thinking millennials who understand current tastes and business models. There are two demographics any brand must not overlook: Millennials and Gen Z. They have purchasing power. They know the nuances of the market and can easily sway the oldies," Okoroanyanwu said.
Mr Biggs is being hamstrung by many factors, namely new tastes and a growing youthful population who finds it old and therefore wants to discard it.
Newcomers take over the space
The coming of Burger King into the Nigerian Quick Service Restaurant industry has further complicated issues for Mr Biggs and other big players in the ecosystem.
Since Nigerians like to try out new things, it will not be long before the likes of Mr biggs, Tastee, and others begin to see outflows which would impact heavily on their market share.
KFC, Sweet Sensation, Domino troubled
Other players like Kentucky Fried Chicken are battling for survival in Nigeria since it swept into the market amid rave reviews.
Nigerians are seeing less and less of the iconic smiling face of its founder, Colonel David Sanders. Meaning the outlets are reducing across the country.
Despite Domino's not being a typical fast-food restaurant, it is also plagued by the new trend and has risen to the occasion by having on-the-spot delivery mechanisms for its clients.
The old players now need to think as if there is no box and rejig or get out of the way.
List of 10 cheapest and most expensive states to buy food in Nigeria
Legit.ng reported that the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) has revealed that the average annual food inflation rate for the twelve-month period ending September 2022 increased to 23.34 per cent.
This is the highest level in over 13 years, demonstrating how economically stressed Nigerian households have become.
NBS stated this in its Consumer Price Index report published on its website on Tuesday, 18 October 2022.
Source: Legit.ng
