Juici exits partnership with Elite Restaurants - Seeking new franchisees

Tameka Gordon, Business Reporter

Jukie Chin's Juici Patties has pulled its brand from franchise operators Elite Restaurants Limited based on what the patty company describes as overwhelming customer complaints and dissatisfaction.

Elite has held the franchise for over seven years said Juici's marketing manager Jacqueline Scott-Perry.

"We have been having a number of compliance issues for a number of years, in particular the service standards, in terms of how we operate, how we treat our customers and the Juici standard that customers have come to know," she said while noting that an "overwhelming" number of complaints had been lodged by customers who called and emailed the head office.

The owners of Elite Restaurants did not return calls for comment.

"For it to have come to the stage where we actually terminate the agreement was not easy since the company prides itself on maintaining a close-knit family approach with its brand holders," said Scott-Perry.

"The complaints were too many to ignore," she said, adding that Juici had exhausted efforts at getting the franchise holder to comply with the stipulated standards of operation; and that the withdrawal of the franchise was the "last resort."

Elite operated four outlets located at Shop 12, Port Henderson Plaza in Portmore, Shop 7, Duhaney Park Plaza, 31 Constant Spring Road, and 96C Molynes Road in Kingston.

Juici first disclosed its break from Elite in a press advertisement saying it was not responsible for any loss resulting from any business conducted at the four locations and was in the process of removing its brand from the outlets, according to Scott-Perry.

While the company declined to state the expected financial fallout resulting from the loss of the outlets, Scott-Perry said Juici would have taken a financial hit regardless, because of the issues with service delivery.

"No doubt with four stores, unless the customers filter into the other stores, it will definitely affect the bottom line; but if they are operating and not meeting their obligations then either way, we would not stand to benefit," she said.

Juici is hoping to filter its customers to other locations in proximity to the Elite shops in order to mitigate its losses while it scouts for another franchise operator.

"While the actual locations are not ours, we are hoping to find other interested persons in those areas," the marketing manager said.

"We are hoping that some amicable arrangement can be reached in terms of changing hands to other franchise holders."

She added that the four shops were rented or leased but are not owned Elite.

Juici Patties is sold from 60 locations nationwide, with the majority, 46, operated under franchise arrangements. The company has used franchises to expand its operations since it started out in 1980 as Juici Beef Patties.

Elite Restaurants is controlled by Sophia Beckford according to Companies Office records. Her primary partner Douglas Chambers is deceased.

tameka.gordon@gleanerjm.com