The worldwide fast-food category in 2021 had a market value of $797.7 billion, and predicted to climb to 931.7 billion by 2027.  Fast-food is defined as food produced and served at quick-service restaurants or street vendors consumed as an alternative to home-cooked meals.  Fast food is widely employed in end-user businesses, hotels, and fast-food restaurants, and typically include burgers/sandwiches, pizza/pasta, chicken and seafood, and Asian/Latin American cuisine.  Traditional offerings are perceived as ‘unhealthy’ however a rise in varied concepts and niches has transformed the dynamics of this business.  One such concept includes Roll’d, a business inspired by culture, tradition, and family recipes from Vietnam – one of the healthiest cuisines in the world.

Roll’d was founded in 2012 by schoolmates Bao Hoang, Ray Esquieres, and Bao’s cousin, Tin Ly. The restaurant was a humble Vietnamese eatery in Melbourne’s competitive CBD that sought to diversify the lunch offer for city workers by serving delicious, fresh, and healthy Vietnamese family favourites – Roll’d Soldiers® (rice paper rolls), Phở (noodle soup), Bánh mì (baguettes), Bao (fluffy steamed buns), Bún (noodle salad) and Goi (fresh salad).

The Inception Story of a Great Asian Food Chain

Bao Hoang was up with a voracious hunger for his mother’s (Mama Hoang’s) traditional Vietnamese home food. Her rice paper rolls, in particular. After working as a franchisee himself, Bao realized he could combine his passion for entrepreneurship with his love of cuisine, family, and Vietnamese ancestry. That was the “aha!” moment that sparked the concept for Roll’d.

Bao’s former high school classmate, Ray Esquieres, a rising banker used his experience at JP Morgan, and even greater love of food to enable him to take the leap for his ‘dream job’ as Head of Roll’d Finance and Technology. Rounding out the three is Tin Ly, who grew up behind the counter at his family’s Vietnamese bakery. Tin offered more than just hands-on hospitality expertise to the executive table. He also introduced his family’s well-known speciality, the Bánh Mi. One of the Roll’d menu’s most popular orders.

Roll’d honors the Hoang family’s cultural, historical, and proud heritage by upholding such strong cultural traditions. Hoang’s parents are still involved in every Phở that is served. Food continues to be the ideal vehicle for sharing culture and building mutual awareness of cultural differences. Roll’d Vietnamese saw the debut of their fresh and flavorful menu of Vietnamese family favorites as an opportunity to introduce Australians to a new world of healthy Asian pleasures while also strengthening Australia’s relationship with the Vietnamese population.

Roll’d has already opened over 125 outlets around Australia, with many of the Hoang, Esquires, and Ly families and friends working in head office or on the ground servicing consumers. International expansion is now in the works.

Sharing the Love of Vietnamese Cuisine

Vietnamese food is some of the healthiest in the world, and the ingredients are simple and vivid, making them aesthetically appealing. With this in mind, Roll’d’s founding team made certain from the start that its store design allowed for maximum visual display and theater, including: a ‘fresh’ bar full of all the fresh, wholesome ingredients used for all its menu items, a custom soup pot station to show the hot broth ladled before serving, a ‘rolling station’ to demonstrate how they roll, as well as drive home its ‘Fast. Fresh.” message; and, of course it’s ‘jewellery box’ of Soldiers® (rice paper rolls), which is the main attraction.

There was a waiting line of roughly 30 people before the Roll’d team opened the doors of its first business, indicating that there was obviously an audience for fresh Vietnamese food. The success of Thai and Chinese cuisine has introduced comparable flavors to the general public, and while foodies were familiar with classics like Phở and Bánh mì, the remainder of the menu remained mostly unknown. The team shares, “We always knew there was a big education piece we needed to include, hence the inclusion of name pronunciations on the menu boards, and how-to-eat cards on purchase.” Overall, however, the vibrancy, and natural healthiness of the cuisine is a major drawcard, and then the taste speaks for itself.

Shifts in QSR Industry 

Over the last decade, there has been a significant movement in the QSR business toward health and the accommodation of the many and various allergies and dietary preferences. As a result, both current and new companies have had to develop non-traditional menu items in order to attract these consumers.

The amount and variety of quality foods available in the QSR industry has also increased, putting businesses, particularly conventional fast-food chains, under more pressure to create high-quality products at more accessible pricing. According to Bao, Roll’d has always prioritized value for money, and the popularity of its excellent, fresh menu gives the team confidence that they are meeting this goal.

Finally, due to the recent pandemic, customers are seeking more variety and convenience in how they choose to consume Roll’d and other food products, thus, the team has focused on fast-tracking strategies to increase digital ordering, delivery options, and develop drive-thrus.

Roll’d, according to Bao, is already available on all major delivery services and will soon open drive-thru locations. It is also actively trialing drone deliveries in Canberra, Australia. The Roll’d team recognizes the importance of technology in the food sector and is committed to staying ahead of the curve.

Revolutionizing the Food Chain and Franchise Sector

Roll’d takes pride in being big-picture innovators who constantly look to the future and find new methods to improve its approach. In 2020, Roll’d began experimenting with new business models centered on delivery and takeout. Now, it is undergoing additional transformations to provide greater assurance to franchisees through its omni channel approach, which has demonstrated success with Roll’d’s Grab-and-Go line and FMCG items offered in over 800 stores of one of Australia’s top supermarket chains.

Roll’d’s Grab-and-Go meals saw a 950 percent spike in sales in 2021, following the range’s launch in January 2020. Because all meals are made and packaged at local Roll’d stores before being distributed to supermarket locations, the line’s success is one of the revenue safety nets Roll’d used to help its franchisees and strengthen their income over Covid.

The ‘Global‘ Vision

Roll’d continues to transform its business model to give franchisees more certainty through omni channel innovations such as Roll’d delivery, a new FMCG range of pantry items and condiments sold exclusively in Australia’s largest supermarket, and B2B sales through the addition of grab-and-go packaged meals in these supermarkets.

Roll’d is well positioned in a market where there is a growing desire for rapid, flavor-packed cuisine that is both accessible and economical. Even better, being light, fresh, and healthy provides Roll’d a competitive advantage in a health-conscious world.

Without a doubt, the multibillion-dollar fast-food sector will continue to set new records. Speed, value, and convenience are markers of sustained success, just as the previous decade has expanded diversity in the food and beverage business. And, as an increasing number of customers watch their diets more closely than ever before, fresh and nutritious choices are in great demand.

Roll’d’s business strategy has the potential to take a significant market share away from the “original” fast-food businesses. And they do so in a global industry with few direct competitors. As Roll’d Vietnamese continues to prosper in Australia, the team is now looking forward to expanding into foreign markets, notably China, Korea, Japan, Singapore, India, the United States, and the European Union.

Website: www.rolld.com.au