Australian Fast Foods

Australian Fast Foods Pty Limited was an Australian fast-food company best known as the corporate owner of the Red Rooster and Chicken Treat restaurant chains. Its business was built around franchised and company-operated quick-service restaurants, with a particular emphasis on chicken-based meals, takeaway food and related casual foodservice formats. The company emerged in 1989 when Chicken Treat, founded in 1974, collaborated with the Big Rooster business. Red Rooster had originated earlier, in 1972, when the Kailis family established the first restaurant in Western Australia. These businesses became associated under Australian Fast Foods as the company developed a larger national restaurant portfolio. Australian Fast Foods became one of Australia's significant quick-service restaurant operators. At its reported peak, it owned the Red Rooster and Chicken Treat chains, operated approximately 450 outlets and employed 6,956 people. On the basis of its outlet network, it was described as Australia's joint fifth-largest fast-food operator, behind McDonald's, KFC, Hungry Jack's and Subway. Its operations were primarily Australian, although the chain portfolio began expanding into New Zealand in 2005. The company's ownership history included a major restructuring of the Red Rooster business. Australian Fast Foods sold Red Rooster to Coles in 1992. Coles subsequently acquired Big Rooster stores and combined them with the Red Rooster network. In 2002, Coles sold the business back to Australian Fast Foods, restoring the chain to the company's ownership structure. A further ownership and corporate reorganisation took place in 2007. Romano acquired Tana's interest in Australian Fast Foods and, together with Quadrant, formed Quick Service Restaurant Holdings. That company became the successor structure for the Red Rooster and Chicken Treat businesses and is now known as Craveable Brands. Australian Fast Foods therefore ceased to operate as the principal corporate identity for the restaurant portfolio, while its best-known brands continued under the successor group. The company is historically important in Australian foodservice because it brought two established chicken restaurant chains into a shared corporate structure and helped create a sizeable domestic competitor in the quick-service market. The available reference material does not establish a current standalone operation, independent website, public listing or continuing corporate activity for Australian Fast Foods itself.

Australian Fast Foods Pty Limited was an Australian quick-service restaurant company whose principal assets were the Red Rooster and Chicken Treat chains. Its history combined the development of two Western Australian chicken-focused restaurant businesses with later consolidation, ownership changes and corporate restructuring. Red Rooster began in 1972 when the Kailis family established the business in Western Australia. Chicken Treat followed in 1974. In 1989, Chicken Treat collaborated with Big Rooster, creating the foundation for Australian Fast Foods as a corporate vehicle bringing the restaurant interests together. The company subsequently developed into a substantial domestic fast-food operator, with a portfolio centred on chicken meals, takeaway service and restaurant outlets. A notable ownership change occurred in 1992, when Australian Fast Foods sold Red Rooster to Coles. Coles later bought Big Rooster stores and amalgamated them into the Red Rooster network. This arrangement placed the chain within a larger Australian retail and foodservice group for a period before Coles sold it back to Australian Fast Foods in 2002. The enlarged restaurant business continued to grow its geographic reach. In 2005, the first outlets were established in New Zealand. At its reported scale, Australian Fast Foods had around 450 outlets and 6,956 employees and was regarded as the joint fifth-largest fast-food operator in Australia, following McDonald's, KFC, Hungry Jack's and Subway. The company's standalone identity ended through a further corporate reorganisation in 2007. Romano acquired Tana's shareholding in Australian Fast Foods and partnered with Quadrant to create Quick Service Restaurant Holdings. The new holding company assumed ownership of Red Rooster and Chicken Treat. It was subsequently known as Craveable Brands, making Australian Fast Foods the predecessor to the corporate group rather than a continuing independent restaurant operator. The available sources provide limited information about individual executives, advertising campaigns, financial performance and specific menu launches. They do establish the company's role in consolidating two established Australian chicken chains and its importance as a sizeable participant in the country's quick-service restaurant sector.

1. 2007Successor holding company created

   Romano and Quadrant formed Quick Service Restaurant Holdings, which took over the Red Rooster and Chicken Treat businesses and later became Craveable Brands.

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2. 2005First New Zealand outlets established

   The restaurant portfolio began operating outlets in New Zealand.

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3. 2002Red Rooster sold back to Australian Fast Foods

   Coles returned the Red Rooster business to Australian Fast Foods after integrating the Big Rooster stores.

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4. 1992Red Rooster sold to Coles

   Australian Fast Foods sold Red Rooster to Coles, which later combined Big Rooster stores with the chain.

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5. 1989Australian Fast Foods formed

   Chicken Treat collaborated with Big Rooster to form Australian Fast Foods Pty Limited.

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6. 1974Chicken Treat founded

   Chicken Treat was established as a separate Australian chicken restaurant business.

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7. 1972Red Rooster founded in Western Australia

   The Kailis family established the business that became Red Rooster in Western Australia.

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A major Australian quick-service restaurant operator focused on chicken-oriented takeaway brands and multi-chain restaurant ownership.

• Red RoosterChicken-focused quick-service restaurant chain1972

  Red Rooster was the group's principal chicken-focused restaurant chain. Founded in Western Australia in 1972, it served takeaway and quick-service meals built around cooked chicken, with associated sides, beverages and other fast-food formats. The chain was sold to Coles in 1992, returned to Australian Fast Foods in 2002 and later continued under Quick Service Restaurant Holdings and Craveable Brands.

• Chicken TreatChicken-focused quick-service restaurant chain1974

  Chicken Treat was founded in 1974 and became one of the two core restaurant chains associated with Australian Fast Foods. Its offering was centred on chicken meals and takeaway food. The brand was brought into the successor Quick Service Restaurant Holdings structure in 2007 and continued as part of the later Craveable Brands portfolio.

• 2007Formation of Quick Service Restaurant HoldingsM&A

  Romano bought out Tana's interest in Australian Fast Foods and pursued a new ownership structure with Quadrant.

  What changed. Romano and Quadrant formed Quick Service Restaurant Holdings to own Red Rooster and Chicken Treat.

  Aftermath. The successor company later became known as Craveable Brands, while Australian Fast Foods ceased to be the principal corporate identity for the chains.

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• 2002Reacquisition of Red RoosterM&A

  Coles had acquired Red Rooster and consolidated Big Rooster locations into the network.

  What changed. Coles sold Red Rooster back to Australian Fast Foods.

  Aftermath. Red Rooster returned to the Australian Fast Foods portfolio alongside Chicken Treat.

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• 1992Sale of Red Rooster to ColesM&A

  Australian Fast Foods separated Red Rooster from its portfolio through a sale to Coles.

  What changed. Coles acquired Red Rooster and later purchased Big Rooster stores for integration into the chain.

  Aftermath. Red Rooster operated within the Coles group until it was sold back to Australian Fast Foods in 2002.

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• 2007Australian Fast Foods reorganised into Quick Service Restaurant Holdings

  Romano bought out Tana's interest in Australian Fast Foods and formed Quick Service Restaurant Holdings with Quadrant. The successor company continued to own the Red Rooster and Chicken Treat businesses and later became known as Craveable Brands.

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• 2005Red Rooster expanded into New Zealand

  The Red Rooster portfolio established its first outlets in New Zealand, extending the group's restaurant presence beyond Australia.

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• 2002Red Rooster returned to Australian Fast Foods after Coles ownership

  After Coles had acquired Red Rooster and integrated Big Rooster stores into the network, the restaurant business was sold back to Australian Fast Foods.

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1. Australian Fast Foods