Ruined franchisee speaks as Mr Potato Management in liquidation, website down, amid tax debts

A national fast food chain has collapsed, with its management company in liquidation under a mountain of debt and at least one franchisee facing bankruptcy

National fast food chain Mr Potato has collapsed, with its management company in liquidation and franchisees left counting the cost – with at least one facing bankruptcy.

Phil Robinson of Deloitte appointed liquidator after less than two minutes’ deliberation at a court hearing for wind-up action brought by the ATO over a $151,000 debt on Friday.

Mr Potato Management is solely directed by Miss Universe entrant Jess Davis, who founded the chain in Adelaide with husband Tyson Hoffman, 30, aka Tyson Finau, who played for the 36ers NBL team.

Tyson Finau and Jess Davis. Photo: Contributed

Earlier this year, former franchisees of the chain revealed they’d had to sell their homes and consider legal action after their stores failed to turn a profit.

Among them is Amy Kelly, who ran shuttered franchises at Broadbeach and Mermaid Waters on the Gold Coast and is now facing bankruptcy.

Ms Kelly closed her stores in February after never turning a profit.

“It’s been an emotional roller coaster,” Ms Kelly told News Corp Australia on Tuesday.

“It was definitely a good feeling to know that other people can’t invest in Mr Potato anymore.

“I can’t really put into words how much it changed me over a period of time.

“I became quite anxious, just really not myself, I’m normally a really bubbly, outgoing person but I was just drowning really.”

Former Mr Potato franchisee Amy Kelly.

Mr Potato founders Jess Davis and Tyson Finau, also known as Tyson Hoffmann.

Like other franchisees who have spoken out about Mr Potato, Ms Kelly said she was “sold a dream” about the potential of the brand, which never came true for her.

“Financially, I’m in a pretty bad position, I’m likely to go bankrupt over it,” she said.

“We knew there was risks but we never anticipated that we would go the way it did.”

Ms Davis and Mr Finau have maintained they adhered to the Australian Franchise Code and had provided franchisees “tools, operational framework, and ongoing support needed to operate their businesses successfully”.

The couple has been contacted for comment on the liquidation.

The number of franchises had boiled down from 13 to four by June this year, but the founders have spent much of this year touring the country in a food truck.

The tour appears to have stalled in the Northern Territory.

Mr Potato Glenelg went into liquidation in June. Picture: Ben Clark

Mr Potato founders Jess Davis and Tyson Finau, also known as Tyson Hoffmann, had pitched an eco resort in Tonga.

By Tuesday this week, the group’s website has been taken down, while Mr Finau had deleted his Instagram page and Ms Davis’s was set to private.

A website where the couple was asking for money to build an eco resort in Tonga has also been taken down.

The management company’s collapse came just weeks after companies behind two Mr Potato franchises – including the chain’s first ever store at Glenelg in Adelaide – went into voluntary liquidation.

Originally published as Ruined franchisee speaks as Mr Potato Management in liquidation, website down, amid tax debts