Eagle Boys faces uncertainty after shock news

PIZZA lovers across the country were reeling from the news today that national franchisor Eagle Boys had gone into voluntary liquidation.

BUSINESS AS USUAL: Warwick Eagle Boys owners Robyn, Anthony and John Rye. Photo Jayden Brown / Warwick Daily News. Picture: Jayden Brown

PIZZA lovers across the country were today reeling from the news national franchisor Eagle Boys had gone into voluntary administration.

Warwick franchisees John and Robyn Rye said despite the news, it was business as usual.

"It's all business and trading as usual," Robyn Rye said.

"I guess we just need to wait and see exactly what the administrators decide to do.

"They believe they have good options, but they're not telling us much at the moment.

"We're not quite sure that all means, it could mean they'll find another buyer and obviously that would be the best outcome for all franchisees.

"But at the moment, the bottom line is there's no change here, it's business as usual."

At a national level, things are already moving.

Administrators SV Partners has assumed control of Eagle Boys head office's day-to-day operations, with a focus on maintaining usual operations and continuing with negotiations for a sale of the business.

They are also identifying restructuring measures.

Company founder Tom Potter spent 20 years building the franchise before selling his majority stake to an equity firm in 2007.

Mr Potter accused the firm of making strategic mistakes, pushing up prices and slashing advertising.

He said equity firm NBC dumped a beloved policy of the chain, which ensured pizzas were ready for pick up within two minutes of the customer arriving in store.

"That spelled the beginning of the end,'' Mr Potter said.

Former Warwick franchisee and sitting Southern Downs councillor Neil Meiklejohn was Eagle Boys National Franchise Sales manager until 1997 and saw the company grow from 16 stores to well over 100 when he left.

"I learnt of the news over the weekend," he said.

"I'm disappointed at a local level for John and Robyn and the staff and what it might mean for them.

"The organisation got very large and expanded very quickly. "My observation was that there were some growing pains."

Cr Meiklejohn said in cases like this, local stores were the ones affected, "despite their capable and consistent management".

"For John and Robyn's sake I hope things sort themselves out as well as possible soon," he said.