A fan-turned-Fresh Burger franchise owner runs through a typical day
By Kym Wolfe
Armaan Divecha became a Fresh Burger fan when he was working as a summer student and a location opened across the street from his office in Richmond Hill, Ontario. The Fresh Burger concept is built around the classic hamburger, handmade with fresh ground beef, grilled only when a customer orders, and served hot within six or seven minutes.
Many burger lunches later, after graduating from Wilfred Laurier University, Divecha became the system’s second franchisee early in 2018. “I loved the food, and I knew I wanted to run my own business,” he says. “Fresh Burger is great because it is simple: it’s just burgers, fries, and poutine, and the food is amazing,” says Divecha. “I started with zero restaurant experience, and I didn’t have any experience with managing staff or finances, but the franchisor, Jacques Kavafian, helped me learn the ins and outs of the industry. With a drive and a willingness to learn, I was able to create a successful business.”
As a starting point, Divecha worked in a corporate store for six months, which gave him hands-on learning in all areas of operation, from taking orders and cooking to ordering stock and administration. When he opened his Fresh Burger in Vaughan, Ontario, he continued to work on the front lines while he built his business and trained his staff. “At the start I was here for opening and closing every day, and did a lot of the physical tasks myself, including prep work, cleaning, and grilling,” he says. That meant long days, since his store is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, except Sundays when it closes at 8 p.m.
From Fresh Burger fan to franchisee
Now Divecha has capable and reliable staff in place: 15 in all, including two supervisors and a mix of full- and part-time employees. “They do a lot of the in-store duties that I used to do, and I have taken a step back into a more managerial role,” says Divecha. “I am still in the store every day and spend most of my time there training staff, handling the grill when there are large rushes, and talking to customers to build relationships. I also spend a lot of my time tracking sales and creating or executing marketing initiatives to promote sales.
Fresh Burger has a marketing team, and since Divecha has been with the franchise from its early days, he says he’s been able to have a big influence on marketing and brand recognition initiatives. “I love being involved with helping to build the brand and have led events and helped recruit other franchisees,” he describes.
Six years in, Divecha still loves Fresh Burger food, and he still puts in long hours every day. Typically, he starts working at 8 a.m. in his home office. He manages bill payments, ordering, and other paperwork before heading to his Fresh Burger location, usually between 10 a.m. and noon. He may not be there all day, but he usually ends up back in his home office after the restaurant is closed. “I do considerable amounts of bookkeeping before I go in, and later in the evening after I get home,” he says. Currently he handles everything himself, from staff scheduling to ordering food and supplies. “I expect that as we grow, I will be more and more hands-off, to where I will be more of an overseer than anything.”
The burger boss
Through the initial steep learning curve, the challenges of the pandemic, and any day-to-day issues that arise, Divecha keeps a positive attitude. “I’m a very positive person with a good work ethic. When times are tough, I do not complain—I get to work. If mistakes happen, I focus on how to solve the problem, and once the problem is solved, I look to for ways to avoid it next time.”
Thinking about the duties he carries out in a typical day, Divecha says they fall mainly into keeping staff happy, keeping customers happy, managing food and product, and dealing with suppliers.
“Employee relationships are important. I genuinely care about my employees’ well-being. I want them to be motivated and happy and have a harmonious work environment where people want to come to work for the day,” says Divecha. He says paying good wages, hiring people who fit well with the team, and being there during the busy times to work alongside them all help his staff feel valued. “I’m not just directing them, I’m on the front lines working with them, cooking or cleaning tables and floors, or running the cash,” he notes.
Divecha has regular customers who have been with him since he first opened and is thankful that they have continued to support his restaurant, especially during the pandemic. During that time many customers shifted to placing delivery orders, and some of them still do, but 60 to 70 per cent of sales are in person. “We try our best to get to know them, to remember their usual orders, and to let them know we appreciate them,” says Divecha, who prides himself and his staff on providing top-notch customer service.
Fresh Burger franchisees need to be expert supply predictors
As the name implies, Fresh Burger uses only fresh ingredients, which are delivered daily. Divecha tracks sales and trends closely to ensure he orders the right amount for each day. The goal is to not waste food because of ordering too much, and to not run out because of ordering too little. “In the beginning I did over-order, and there were also a few times when we were busier than anticipated, sold out, and had to close early. Managing and dealing with the fluctuation in sales is important for maintaining food quality and supply, and it can be difficult.”
Daily food prep was a big part of Divecha’s day when he first started—chopping potatoes for the fries, preparing the toppings for the poutine, and, back then, grinding meat in-house for the burgers. Now, meat deliveries arrive already ground by the supplier, which has been a big timesaver.
As the brand has grown and added new locations, Divecha keeps costs low through bulk purchasing. “One challenge is dealing with inflation, making sure staff use the appropriate amounts of product to reduce wastage. Proudly, our store doesn’t ever waste food,” says Divecha. “The franchise deals with our suppliers, we just need to place our orders. Now that there are more Fresh Burgers around me, if one of us runs out of something we can help each other out.”
There are now eight Fresh Burger locations across Ontario, and a ninth is scheduled to open in Waterloo in early 2024. For anyone with an interest in joining the franchise team, Divecha believes that having the right attitude is the most important factor for success. He also has these words of advice: “Be patient. This business doesn’t make money overnight. Work on providing a great quality product with exceptional customer service, and sales will follow.”
Divecha also emphasizes the importance of being a good leader. “Be kind to your employees,” he says. “Make sure they are taken care of, and they will [take] care of you.”
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