What is a Pie?
To make sure we are all on the same page here I have been reminded to explain the definition of a "pie" to those readers who are unfamiliar with the concept.
Being in New Zealand we have grown up with pies, but we have heard that a savoury pie is a new concept to many overseas countries. In New Zealand we tend to eat pies as a savoury dish, not as a dessert. Pies are an extremely popular food concept here and are sold everywhere from bakeries to corner dairies. Usually containing meat such as mince or chicken. We believe meat pies are common in New Zealand and Australia especially due to the strong agriculture and farming industries of sheep and beef farming. It seems a natural fit that with such easy access to meat innovative ways were created to serve it.
I have been a fan of Jesters Pies for almost 2 years now. They are a fast food chain that operate in Australasia.
History
Jesters was created in 1997 in Australia and is now spread throughout Australia and New Zealand. The company in its present form is the result of the merger of Shakespeares Pies and Jesters Jaffle Pie company. The merger took place in 2005 and all stores were rebranded as Jesters.
Business model
Jesters operates under the popular franchise model that many food outlets follow. Jesters do not have stand alone company stores, rather they have outlets in major shopping centres. This obviously eliminates the need for expensive store layouts, which makes for a more cost-effective franchise. The style of the outlet is in a basic cafe-style with a large heated display unit taking u the front and serving areas on each side. Jesters kitchen can operate in a very small space with 1-2 operators making the pies. Generally they do 2-3 bakes per day. the stores generally can run with a minimum 2-3 staff part-time.
Food
The quality of Jesters pies is excellent. All pies are made fresh in house several times daily. The pastry is a great selling point - it is so unique. It is crispy on the outside without being messy, and soft on the inside. I must mention that Jesters pies are a little on the small side for the price. You would generally need 2 pies to fill you up. Jesters do offer combos with wedges and drinks. The fillings are made of high quality ingredients. You can really tasts the differnce over say, a bakery pie. Being a franchise the pies are always uniform which is a good thing when pie quality and taste can vary so must from bakery to bakery.
An great thing about Jesters is the range of gourmet flavours available. From Mahurajah (Butter Chicken) to Popeye (Vegetarian Feta, Spinach and Mushroom). Jesters also provide dessert pies such as apple crumble pie and other interesting combinations. You can also purchased pre-frozen packs to enjoy at home.
Price
Jesters are quite pricey when compared to other Pie outlets. A Typical Jesters pie in NZ costs $3.50 - $3.90. Pies in NZ range from $1.00 to $1.50 at dairies, $2.00 - $3.00 at most bakeries and from a service station $3.00-4.00. So they are at the top end of pie retailers in NZ. Obviously though they are a gourmet outlet so must charge a higher price, but I believe the price is okay for a chain store. Would be great if the pies were 30-50% bigger.
Locations
Jesters operates over 70 stores with 18 in New Zealand. They tend to be located in busy shopping centres with high foot traffic. Recently in New Zealand they have tested the Service Station food court model successfully used in New Zealand by Subway. Essentially this concept involves putting the storefront inside a corner of the service station building. Subway seems to have dozens and dozens of these stores throughout NZ so it must be a winning combination.
Competitors
While pies are a big thing in New Zealand, there are not many chains offering alternative options. Georgie Pie was the original popular Pie restaurant chain in NZ in the 1990's and operated in the same way McDonalds Restaurants do, with lots of menu selection, kids toys and kids playground. Unfortunately McDonalds bought out Georgie Pie and there has never been another strong chain offering pies.
In competiton with Jesters though there seems to be no franchises operating. Several years ago there was a new franchise in New Zealand called King Pie. Last I heard the franchise shut down due to lack of sales. Jesters seems very similar in concept to King Pie with similar locations and store layout. We can only hope that their business model renders them more successful. It would be a shame to lose another great tasting pie outlet.
Summary
In Summary I would definitely recommend trying Jesters Pies out if you are located in New Zealand, or Australia. They are a welcome addition to the fast food marketplace and I hope they grow to be present in more centres. Would be great to see them take the Unique "Pie" concept to other countries especially Asia, and even England and Europe.
Auckland, New Zealand
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Monday, January 28, 2008
Review - Fullers Car Ferry Opua to Russell
We recently used the Fullers Car Ferry which travels between Opua and Okiato, Russell, Bay of Islands. The ferry is used by 99% of people travelling to the historic township of Russell. While you can avoid the ferry and drive around the peninsula, this is not recommended. The road is of course unsealed the whole way, and normally in pretty bad condition. Extremely bumpy, dusty and uncomfortable. The old road was used for generations by some of the earliest settlers in New Zealand so had a lot of history but only the brave should attempt that drive!
This short ferry trip (approx 10 minutes) cuts out the long drive on the old Russell road around the peninsula which takes about 45 minutes. It is good to get out on the ferry to stretch your legs after a long journey (usually 3 1/2 hours from Auckland for most tourists)
Vessels
The Vessels are purpose built car ferries which carry approx 20 vehicles. They are flat deck with a raised cab on one side. They have sections at the front that raise and lower to let cars and trucks drive on.
Ferry Times
The ferry operates all year round with peak season being summer when a influx of tourists arrive. From each port they leave about every 20 minutes. They run from dawn to around 10pm at night. Fullers usually have 2 vessels on duty who pass each other halfway during the trip, so you never have to wait too long.
Pricing
The ferry ride now costs $10 one way including driver and car. Passengers are still $1 each. This year we noticed a price increase over last year - approx $2.00. But this is understandable given all the petrol price rises over the past year.
Summary
In summary, if you are travelling to Russell in the Bay of Islands I highly recommend using the ferry service. It will save a terrible drive around the unsealed road and $10 is a small price to pay for the speed of arrival. The trip only takes 10 minutes and then you can be enjoying the sites Russell has to offer!
This short ferry trip (approx 10 minutes) cuts out the long drive on the old Russell road around the peninsula which takes about 45 minutes. It is good to get out on the ferry to stretch your legs after a long journey (usually 3 1/2 hours from Auckland for most tourists)
Vessels
The Vessels are purpose built car ferries which carry approx 20 vehicles. They are flat deck with a raised cab on one side. They have sections at the front that raise and lower to let cars and trucks drive on.
Ferry Times
The ferry operates all year round with peak season being summer when a influx of tourists arrive. From each port they leave about every 20 minutes. They run from dawn to around 10pm at night. Fullers usually have 2 vessels on duty who pass each other halfway during the trip, so you never have to wait too long.
Pricing
The ferry ride now costs $10 one way including driver and car. Passengers are still $1 each. This year we noticed a price increase over last year - approx $2.00. But this is understandable given all the petrol price rises over the past year.
Summary
In summary, if you are travelling to Russell in the Bay of Islands I highly recommend using the ferry service. It will save a terrible drive around the unsealed road and $10 is a small price to pay for the speed of arrival. The trip only takes 10 minutes and then you can be enjoying the sites Russell has to offer!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Review - Holiday Shoppe
I am heading off to the USA in February and I have been using Holiday Shoppe Lynnmall as my travel agents. They have been extremely helpful in all aspects especially when I needed to switch around some flights.
Pricing
The good thing with travel agents is they have access to pricing, generally for all the major airlines. So this is better than going online to a single airlines website and mucking around for hours comparing deals. You may pay a little more thru a travel agent but you are paying for a service that will save you time, energy and stress. Especially when booking an international trip you want to have everything in order so using a travel agent is good for peace of mind.
Customer Service
When thinking about an overseas trip try this technique. I went around to as many travel agents as I could find. I asked them for quotes for my trip and this is a very good test of their customer service skills. At least half I found not to be very helpful and obviously I was going to avoid them. Go with the agent you feel most comfortable with, over one that offers the lowest price. You want someone who will be happy to advise you and help with any issues or changes down the track.
I recommend Holiday Shoppe Lynn Mall. They are located on the outside edge opposite Pizza Hut. Agent Caroline Sowden is great to deal with!
Auckland, New Zealand
Pricing
The good thing with travel agents is they have access to pricing, generally for all the major airlines. So this is better than going online to a single airlines website and mucking around for hours comparing deals. You may pay a little more thru a travel agent but you are paying for a service that will save you time, energy and stress. Especially when booking an international trip you want to have everything in order so using a travel agent is good for peace of mind.
Customer Service
When thinking about an overseas trip try this technique. I went around to as many travel agents as I could find. I asked them for quotes for my trip and this is a very good test of their customer service skills. At least half I found not to be very helpful and obviously I was going to avoid them. Go with the agent you feel most comfortable with, over one that offers the lowest price. You want someone who will be happy to advise you and help with any issues or changes down the track.
I recommend Holiday Shoppe Lynn Mall. They are located on the outside edge opposite Pizza Hut. Agent Caroline Sowden is great to deal with!
Auckland, New Zealand
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Review - Tony Robbins Personal Power
Everyone knows who Tony Robbins is. He really needs no introduction. He's the guy on the infomercials on TV advertising his self-help program "Personal Power" - the guy with the big teeth.
I was given an ancient version of Personal Power for Christmas and I have been going thru the 30 Day program. I have to say it is better than I expected. Really useful stuff, and it has been amazing to see myself actually following and doing the exercises and avoiding being lazy. Its something about the way Tony talks on the cd's and his encouraging way that makes you take action on the daily tasks.
Now given I have missed a few days, but I have been extremely busy. I am up to about Day 14 now which covers Goal Setting. The content while being around 14 years old was obviously ahead of its time as I have heard a few concepts being recycled by seminar speakers I have attended over the last few years. The principles while basic are very powerful and do have an amazing effect on your daily life.
He has you complete a "Success Journal" which you write each days tasks in. Usually answering a bunch of questions and interpreting their meaning and working on the next step. He is big on identifying core beliefs and studying them to see if those beliefs are causing some trouble in your life. Internal beliefs or limitations either from being to hard to achieve, or just plain incorrect, stupid, or unreasonable. Beliefs are like rules that you have unconsciously lived by.
Tony has put out a more recent CD Program called Get The Edge. Instead of a 30 Day program its 7 days. More intense and more focused. It will be good to try this program at some stage and compare the differences.
I have found Personal Power so far to be extremely effective. It will be good to see what the next 14 days bring. I am hooked on the program and have started to look forward to each daily session.Once I have completed the 30 Days I will post again with more insights into the program.
Auckland, New Zealand
I was given an ancient version of Personal Power for Christmas and I have been going thru the 30 Day program. I have to say it is better than I expected. Really useful stuff, and it has been amazing to see myself actually following and doing the exercises and avoiding being lazy. Its something about the way Tony talks on the cd's and his encouraging way that makes you take action on the daily tasks.
Now given I have missed a few days, but I have been extremely busy. I am up to about Day 14 now which covers Goal Setting. The content while being around 14 years old was obviously ahead of its time as I have heard a few concepts being recycled by seminar speakers I have attended over the last few years. The principles while basic are very powerful and do have an amazing effect on your daily life.
He has you complete a "Success Journal" which you write each days tasks in. Usually answering a bunch of questions and interpreting their meaning and working on the next step. He is big on identifying core beliefs and studying them to see if those beliefs are causing some trouble in your life. Internal beliefs or limitations either from being to hard to achieve, or just plain incorrect, stupid, or unreasonable. Beliefs are like rules that you have unconsciously lived by.
Tony has put out a more recent CD Program called Get The Edge. Instead of a 30 Day program its 7 days. More intense and more focused. It will be good to try this program at some stage and compare the differences.
I have found Personal Power so far to be extremely effective. It will be good to see what the next 14 days bring. I am hooked on the program and have started to look forward to each daily session.Once I have completed the 30 Days I will post again with more insights into the program.
Auckland, New Zealand
Monday, January 21, 2008
Review - Pak 'n Save Supermarkets
Pak 'n Save Supermarkets are operated by Foodstuffs New Zealand Ltd. Foodstuffs also operates the supermarket brands 4Square and New World. Foodstuffs is a co-operative business which means that each store is owned by individual owners but they use their collective buying power of hundreds of stores to purchase from suppliers at a better price.
This is as opposed to Progressive Enterprises who run Foodtown, Countdown. All stores are owned by one large company, not individual stores owned by private individuals. So is there any advantage to shopping at a collective business? Collective style businesses are better for the economy. This is because each store is owned locally so the profits generally will stay within the country and usually within the local community.
The other benefit of a collective is that smaller independent stores in rural and far out areas still get the benefit of the lower group prices as they are part of the collective. they are not disadvantaged by location. Otherwise if they were independent they would have to negotiate directly with suppliers and because they would only buy a small quantity they would not get good prices over a large big volume negotiator. So the collective bargaining under Foodstuffs umbrella means that they pay the same as the larger stores. This is better for the smaller local communities as the stores don't have to change high prices due to location.
Progressive Enterprises is owned by an Australian publicly-listed retail giant so the profits go offshore which harms the NZ economy. Pak 'n Save is cheaper than most other supermarkets so it seems the collective system works well. Both for the independent stores, the local communities, and of course for the consumer.
Auckland, New Zealand
This is as opposed to Progressive Enterprises who run Foodtown, Countdown. All stores are owned by one large company, not individual stores owned by private individuals. So is there any advantage to shopping at a collective business? Collective style businesses are better for the economy. This is because each store is owned locally so the profits generally will stay within the country and usually within the local community.
The other benefit of a collective is that smaller independent stores in rural and far out areas still get the benefit of the lower group prices as they are part of the collective. they are not disadvantaged by location. Otherwise if they were independent they would have to negotiate directly with suppliers and because they would only buy a small quantity they would not get good prices over a large big volume negotiator. So the collective bargaining under Foodstuffs umbrella means that they pay the same as the larger stores. This is better for the smaller local communities as the stores don't have to change high prices due to location.
Progressive Enterprises is owned by an Australian publicly-listed retail giant so the profits go offshore which harms the NZ economy. Pak 'n Save is cheaper than most other supermarkets so it seems the collective system works well. Both for the independent stores, the local communities, and of course for the consumer.
Auckland, New Zealand
Saturday, January 19, 2008
Review - Big Day Out Festival
I attended the Big Day Out festival this week and I thought it a good topic to look at the business side of organising a large event. With tickets sales reaching 40,000 there is some serious organisation and serious money involved in an event like this. Take the ticket price at minimum $123 each and we're talking a 4 million dollar event plus all the sponsorship that goes along with it.
And this is just ticket sales. The amount of advertising revenue generated must be enormous. With major New Zealand sponsors such as C4 Television, Lion Red Beer, V Energy Drink, Illicit Clothing....the list goes on.
Bands
Some say that the lineup this year wasn't very inspiring. They had one huge name Rage against the Machine but other than that were really mediocre bands. The event did not sell out this year no doubt due to the poor lineup. The previous year 2007 sold out due to big acts such as: Tool, Muse and My Chemical Romance.
Big Day Out.com
And this is just ticket sales. The amount of advertising revenue generated must be enormous. With major New Zealand sponsors such as C4 Television, Lion Red Beer, V Energy Drink, Illicit Clothing....the list goes on.
Bands
Some say that the lineup this year wasn't very inspiring. They had one huge name Rage against the Machine but other than that were really mediocre bands. The event did not sell out this year no doubt due to the poor lineup. The previous year 2007 sold out due to big acts such as: Tool, Muse and My Chemical Romance.
Big Day Out.com
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Review - AskMen.com
A website I have been checking out a bit lately is called Ask Men.com. I originally stumbled upon this website about 5 years ago and after having a look recently its good to see it is still the same idea, albeit revamped.
The website essentially serves as an online mens magazine with different sections devoted to different topics such as Sports, Gadgets and Dating. Of course it has its fair share of advertising, in fact quite a lot but the content of the site makes up for it.
Advertising
While the site has the standard banner and window advertising, an interesting new twist is mid article advertising. An article could be 3 pages long where you have to link thru between pages. After you click the link you occasionally get taken to a page with a TV ad running! The page does have a link to the article but it can sometimes be off putting when you are halfway thru an article.
Content
One things that is good is the content. The website has hundreds of contributors and over 40,000 articles online which is no mean feat. the majority I have read have been well written. Most srticels though do link thru to the writers products so there is softselling built into most articles.
I would recommend checking out the site: www.askmen.com
The website essentially serves as an online mens magazine with different sections devoted to different topics such as Sports, Gadgets and Dating. Of course it has its fair share of advertising, in fact quite a lot but the content of the site makes up for it.
Advertising
While the site has the standard banner and window advertising, an interesting new twist is mid article advertising. An article could be 3 pages long where you have to link thru between pages. After you click the link you occasionally get taken to a page with a TV ad running! The page does have a link to the article but it can sometimes be off putting when you are halfway thru an article.
Content
One things that is good is the content. The website has hundreds of contributors and over 40,000 articles online which is no mean feat. the majority I have read have been well written. Most srticels though do link thru to the writers products so there is softselling built into most articles.
I would recommend checking out the site: www.askmen.com
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