Hogs Breath, Nando’s, PappaRich: Darwin eateries shut up shop

It’s been a tough year for hospitality in Darwin with Covid and the economy major challenges for owners. Find out which franchise eateries closed their doors.

BIG food franchisees are shutting shop in Darwin and there’s no sign they’ll be back any time soon.

In the past couple of months Nando’s chicken has shut its Smith Street store and Hogs Breath and PappaRich have exited Casuarina Square’s Quarter precinct.

While Hog’s Breath Cafe has been sold and replaced by a new restaurant, Saltlick Grill, the Nando’s and PappaRich remain unoccupied.

Former franchisee at Hoggies Casuarina, Cormac Maccarthy, said a number of factors have seen the brand in decline not just darwin with hogs

Nando’s CBD store shut mid-September because the lease expired and was not renewed. Run by the company - and not a franchisee as occurs in other jurisdictions - it is understood Nando’s is open to a replacement store but nothing yet is being considered.

At The Quarter, former Hog’s Breath franchisee Cormac MacCarthy said the decline of his business reflected more generally a decline in the brand’s fortunes since 2017. During which half the nation’s restaurants closed.

During this period the number of stores dropped to 84 to below 40 as the company grappled with legal disputes, a listless economy and rising beef prices.

Locally, law and order and anti-social behaviour issues effected the business - but the primary challenge was arresting the post-Inpex economic slump from 2017.

“There was a consistent decline in the business pre-Covid after construction of Inpex was completed and broader management changes in the organisation,” he said.

“Our decline is consistent with the national decline and locally, coupled with the slowdown in the economy locally and bigger issues with Hog’s Breath. It was difficult to make any money.”

Cormac ended his association with with Hoggies this year and his daughter now manages Saltlick Grill restaurant from the premises.

More general cuisine than steak-house, Cormac predicts the price of beef could further impact the future of steak-houses.

“There’s significant price pressure on meat and beef in particular and that puts pressure on the system,” Cormac said. “If beef prices continue to increase, all it does is push the price point of steakhouses higher and if it continues going the way it’s going it will become unaffordabe for a lot of people.”

Cormac acknowledged Casuarnia Square owner GPT Group had tried to support tenants in The Quarter, aware of the challenges they faced as the Territory economy slid into sharp decline in 2017. “They have come to the table and are prepared to talk. They understand the issues,” he said.

Originally published as Hogs Breath, Nando’s, PappaRich: Darwin eateries shut up shop