Leslie Massey
Red Rooster is an Australian fast-food chain specialising in roast and fried chicken. It was founded in 1972 by brothers Peter and Theo Kailis in Kelmscott, a suburb of Perth. The privately-owned family business soon expanded to 45 stores in Western Australia and Victoria before being sold to Myer in 1981 or 1982. Since then, Red Rooster has changed hands several times and is currently owned by Craveable Brands, a holding company of PAG Asia Capital, which also owns Chicken Treat and Oporto.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Current ownership | PAG Asia Capital, a Hong Kong-based private equity firm |
| Previous owners | Peter and Theo Kailis (founders), Kailis family, Coles Myer Ltd, Australian Fast Foods (AFF), Archer Capital |
| Parent company | Craveable Brands Ltd (formerly Quick Service Restaurant Holdings) |
| Other brands owned by parent company | Oporto, Chicken Treat, Chargrill Charlie's |
| Number of stores | 359 as of 2018, 580 across the Craveable network |
| Business model | Franchise model with each restaurant owned and operated by a local franchisee |
| Headquarters | Australia |
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What You'll Learn
Red Rooster was founded in 1972 by the Kailis brothers
Red Rooster is an Australian fast-food chain that was founded in 1972 by brothers Peter and Theo Kailis. The first Red Rooster outlet was opened in Kelmscott, a suburb of Perth, Western Australia. The Kailis brothers were inspired by a chicken shop on Wanneroo Road and sought to emulate the standardised model of American fast-food chains such as Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), which had entered the Australian market in 1968.
The Kailis family privately owned and ran the business until the early 1980s when it was acquired by Myer in 1981 or 1982. During this time, Red Rooster expanded to 45 or 80 stores in Western Australia and Victoria. In 1986, Myer purchased another chicken chain called Big Rooster, which was founded by brothers Phil and Nick Tana in the 1970s. These stores were rebranded as Red Rooster, expanding the chain's presence into the eastern states of Australia.
In 1992, Red Rooster was acquired by Coles Myer Ltd, and in 2002, it was purchased by Australian Fast Foods (AFF), which also owned the competing Chicken Treat chain. Since then, Red Rooster has changed hands several times, with different private equity firms and holding companies taking ownership. In 2010, most Red Rooster outlets were converted into franchises, and the company underwent a brand transformation, promoting its restaurants as healthy, fresh, and quick.
Today, Red Rooster is owned by Craveable Brands Ltd (formerly known as Quick Service Restaurant Holdings), a subsidiary of the Hong Kong-based private equity firm PAG Asia Capital. While the ownership has shifted internationally, Red Rooster remains an iconic Australian brand with a strong presence in the Australian market. Each Red Rooster restaurant is individually owned and operated by a local franchisee, contributing to the local economy and community.
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It was originally a family-owned business
Red Rooster is an Australian fast-food chain that was founded in 1972 by brothers Peter and Theo Kailis in Kelmscott, a suburb of Perth. The Kailis family privately ran and owned the business, marking a departure from their family background in fishing, pearling, and seafood. The brothers were inspired by a chicken shop on Wanneroo Road and sought to compete with American fast-food chains such as Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), which had entered the Australian market in 1968.
Red Rooster quickly became successful, growing to 45 stores in Western Australia and Victoria. In the early 1980s, the Kailis family sold the business to Coles Myer Ltd, and it continued to expand. By the time of the sale, there were 80 stores, and in 1986, Coles Myer bought another chicken chain called Big Rooster, which was rebranded as Red Rooster, bringing the total number of stores to 230 across Australia.
In 2002, Red Rooster was acquired by Australian Fast Foods (AFF), a Western Australian company that also owned the competing Chicken Treat fast-food chain. This acquisition brought additional expertise in the roast chicken category, as the shareholders in AFF included the founders of Big Rooster and Chicken Treat. Over the years, Red Rooster changed hands several times between private equity firms and underwent a transformation in its management team.
Today, Red Rooster is owned by Craveable Brands Ltd, a holding company of PAG Asia Capital, which also owns other fast-food chains such as Chicken Treat and Oporto. While Craveable Brands is currently based in Hong Kong, Red Rooster remains an iconic Australian brand with a strong presence in the Australian market. Each Red Rooster restaurant is a franchise owned and operated by a local franchisee, contributing to the local community and employing locals.
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Red Rooster was sold to Coles Myer in the early 1980s
Red Rooster is an Australian fast-food chain that was founded in 1972 by brothers Peter and Theo Kailis in Kelmscott, Western Australia. The Kailis family privately ran and owned the business until the early 1980s when it was sold to Coles Myer Ltd. The Kailis brothers started Red Rooster to compete with American fast-food chains such as Kentucky Fried Chicken, which had entered the Australian market in 1968. They emulated the standardised model of these American franchises, including their menus, branding, and marketing strategies.
Red Rooster quickly proved successful, and by the time it was sold to Coles Myer Ltd. in 1981 or 1982, there were 45 or 80 stores, respectively. In 1986, Coles Myer bought another chicken chain called Big Rooster, which was founded by brothers Phil and Nick Tana in the 1970s and operated on the east coast of Australia. These stores were rebranded as Red Rooster, increasing the number of stores to 230 across Australia.
Red Rooster has changed hands several times since then, with different owners and parent companies. In 2002, Perth-based Australian Fast Foods (AFF), which also owned Chicken Treat, acquired Red Rooster. In 2007, both chains were sold to a consortium formed by management and Quadrant Private Equity for A$180 million. In 2011, Archer Capital acquired the parent company, Quick Service Restaurant Holdings (later renamed Craveable Brands), for an estimated A$450 million.
As of 2019, Red Rooster, along with Craveable Brands' other holdings, including Oporto and Chicken Treat, was sold to PAG Asia Capital, a Hong Kong-based private equity firm, for approximately $500 million. Despite the changes in ownership, Red Rooster remains an iconic brand in the Australian market, specialising in roast and fried chicken.
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The company has since changed hands multiple times
Red Rooster has changed hands several times since its founding in 1972. The Kailis family privately ran and owned the business until the early 1980s when it was sold to Coles Myer Ltd. In 1986, Coles Myer bought the Big Rooster chain and changed its name to Red Rooster.
In 2002, Red Rooster was purchased by Western Australian company Australian Fast Foods (AFF), which already owned the competing Chicken Treat fast-food chain. In 2007, both chains were sold to a consortium formed by the management and Quadrant Private Equity for $180 million.
In 2011, Quadrant Private Equity sold the parent company, Quick Service Restaurant Holdings (QSRH), to Archer Capital for an estimated $450 million. QSRH was then renamed Craveable Brands in 2017.
Finally, in 2019, Craveable Brands was acquired by PAG Asia Capital, a Hong Kong-based private equity firm, for approximately $500 million. This most recent change in ownership sparked plans to expand the business globally.
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Red Rooster is now owned by Craveable Brands, a subsidiary of PAG Asia Capital
Red Rooster is an Australian fast-food chain that was founded in 1972 by Peter and Theo Kailis in Kelmscott, a suburb of Perth. The Kailis family privately ran and owned the business until the early 1980s when it was sold to Coles Myer Ltd. The business changed hands several times before it was acquired by Australian Fast Foods (AFF) in 2002.
In 2019, Red Rooster was bought by PAG Asia Capital, a private equity group based in Hong Kong, for about $500 million. PAG Asia Capital acquired Craveable Brands, a holding company that owns several fast-food chains, including Red Rooster, Oporto, Chicken Treat, and Chargrill Charlie's. Craveable Brands was founded in 2007 as Quick Service Restaurant Holdings (QSRH) and was renamed Craveable Brands in 2017.
Red Rooster has experienced a decline in popularity in recent years, but as of 2021, it is still the sixth-most-popular fast-food restaurant in Australia. The company has a network of over 500 stores, primarily Red Rooster and Oporto outlets, throughout Australasia and Southeast Asia. Each Red Rooster restaurant is individually owned and operated by a local franchisee, employing and serving the local community.
Despite being owned by a subsidiary of a Hong Kong-based firm, Red Rooster maintains its Australian identity and continues to cater to the Australian market. The brand has no immediate plans to expand overseas and is focused on growth within Australia, particularly in the Victorian and New South Wales markets. Red Rooster's management team is also undergoing a transformation, bringing in new ideas and disciplines to take the business to the next level.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Red Rooster is Australian-owned and was founded in Western Australia in 1972 by Peter and Theo Kailis.
Red Rooster is currently owned by Craveable Brands Ltd, a subsidiary of Hong Kong-based private equity firm PAG Asia Capital.
No, Red Rooster has changed hands several times. It was originally a family-owned business before being acquired by Coles Myer in the early 1980s. In 2002, it was acquired by Australian Fast Foods, and in 2011, its parent company, Quick Service Restaurant Holdings (now Craveable Brands), was sold to Archer Capital.
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