LGB Food and Beverage

From one restaurant to a franchise

I had built Le Gourmet Burger with franchising in mind. The first franchise opened in Morocco, and other locations followed. Through LGB Food and Beverage, I developed the business internationally, with restaurants in Morocco, Lebanon, and Saudi Arabia.

A Saudi partner wanted to expand the concept across the Middle East. That brought a new scale to the business, moving from the compact Montreal restaurant to a much larger format with its own production kitchen.

Building the systems behind it

The work went beyond opening restaurants. We developed the franchise structure, strategic and operating plans, franchise contracts, full franchise kits, and operating manuals. We also worked on trademarking the brand’s logos across the Middle East.

Alongside the menus, supplier sourcing, and production equipment, we developed our own point-of-sale system, iPad-based customer ordering, and websites. These were the practical and administrative systems behind taking Le Gourmet Burger from a restaurant concept to a full franchise business.

We built a central production unit to make our own bread, sauces, and condiments. We imported beef from Canada by air and ground it ourselves, keeping production in-house. The aim was to carry the quality and character of the original burger into a larger operation.

Developing the business across markets

I spent much of that period traveling between Montreal, Morocco, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Dubai, and Europe, working with partners and suppliers to develop the business.

The larger restaurant format also created room for a broader menu and a café experience. That became Le Gourmet Café, a separate concept with its own identity and standalone cafés.