Hogs Breath Cafe Airlie Beach changes hands to entrepreneurs Jean-Paul Afflick and Steve Zakharoff

A famous Australian brand founded in Airlie Beach has been taken over by one of its early franchisees as it celebrates a milestone. See how they’ll bring it back to its former glory.

Hogs Breath Cafe changes hands back to one of the founders as it celebrates 35 years. Picture: Estelle Sanchez

A famous Australian brand founded in Airlie Beach has been taken over by one of its early franchisees as it celebrates a milestone.

The Hogs Breath Cafe, founded 35 years ago on July 4, 1989, was “the place to be” for Whitsunday locals before it grew nationwide.

The first store located in the main street of Airlie Beach changed owners this week, and it is going back to a man close to one of the cafe’s original founders, Don Algie.

At its peak, there were about 90 outlets across Australia, New Zealand, Singapore and Thailand.

But that number has now fallen, with more than a dozen franchisees going bankrupt over the past five years or so amid allegations of mismanagement from the head office.

Last year the Courier Mail reported 34 stores were open from the franchise, while this year the company has acknowledged the existence of 26 stores.

In a statement for its 35th birthday, Hog’s Breath Cafe said it would continue to pride itself in remaining “a steadfast purveyor of slow-cooked prime rib, curly fries, and good times” while the world changes around it.

Hogs Breath Cafe changes hands back to one of the founders as it celebrates 35 years. Picture: Estelle Sanchez

This is despite CEO Steven Spurgin revealing plans for new-look, smaller restaurants that would make business more sustainable for franchisees in 2023.

It stated that it would “do away with the American saloon vibe and instead trying to reflect the region it sits in.”

New owner of the Airlie Beach store Jean-Paul “JP” Afflick worked at the Darwin store in 1995 before he owned a franchise in Byron Bay until the early 2000s.

He is joined by Steve Zakharoff who currently owns a Hogs Breath in Cairns.

Hogs Breath Cafe changes hands back to one of the founders as it celebrates 35 years. Picture: Estelle Sanchez

After a hiatus spent raising a family and achieving land speed records worldwide on two wheels, Mr Afflick has decided to go back to his first love with a nostalgic vision.

“I think even what we did in 1999 to 2000s would work now because, you know, it’s good food, it needs that bit of fun atmosphere back,” he said about his vision for the store.

“A lot of people would have good memories from the 90s at Hogs Breath, it has a lot of sentimental value to a lot of people.

Steve Zakharoff is the new co-owner at Hogs Breath cafe Airlie Beach. Picture: Brian Cassey

“I met my wife at Hogs Breath, she was a waitress [there], and all my lifelong friends are from there as well.

“It was a fun place, it was well known, you came here for dinner or to get a drink before dinner, you’d meet your work mates here.

“It was the place to be.”

As to what would change with the change in leadership, Mr Afflick says he wants to bring the cafe back to its former glory.

While the menu won’t change, there are plans to “match other venues” by bringing live music inside the cafe, as well as revive the front bar.

Originally published as Hogs Breath Cafe Airlie Beach changes hands to entrepreneurs Jean-Paul Afflick and Steve Zakharoff