No blood, no blades, no aprons. In Al Fuego you only see refrigerators, a neat and careful aesthetic and quality cuts. It is an Argentine vacuum-packed gourmet meat store created by the Lequio group. The franchisee projects a strong expansion that is already evident in Argentina and now bets on “crossing the pond” to Uruguay.
In 2021, the brand had three stores in Paraná (one of them own) and an excellent acceptance, so they decided to take the step to Rosario. However, the big jump was made by Chispa SA -a company created by the owners of Almacén de Pizzas, Tostado and Juan Valdez, Sebastián Ríos and Fernando Goijman-. Thanks to its franchise model, the Al Fuego chain arrived in Buenos Aires and now plans to continue its expansion.
“The plan is aggressive. We bet on this type of establishment, which is why we project 50 openings this year of meat stores and four grill houseSebastian Rios explained.
The goal is, in 2023, to reach 100 stores; by 2025 add a total of 150 new stores and a total of 10 restaurants, with the aim of also reaching Uruguay.
What is On Fire?
The meat shop is a very different experience from conventional butcher shops. All the cuts are vacuum packed and according to their owners they stand out for the quality of their products.
“We guarantee all kinds of cuts, we aim at a premium audience that seeks quality”highlighted María Laura Locatelli, Marketing Manager of Grupo Lequio.
The manager explained that to guarantee this quality, they work with cows that grow in La Pampa, “the best land for meat.” Locatelli added that Al Fuego also sells wines, appetizers, salads, desserts and even cold cuts to make entrees. “We also offer everything from charcoal to everything you need to make a fire,” she said.
This business model, in turn, gave rise to a grill house. “Two of our stores have a Grill House, what we are looking for is to also offer a place to sit down to eat meat, with 100% cuts from our refrigerators,” Locatelli remarked. It should be noted that due to the pandemic, the development of this line of business has been slower.
How much does it cost to open a franchise?
The initial investment is between US$70,500 and US$84,600, with a franchise fee of US$6,000.
The contracts are for four years, renewable and the investment recovery is calculated in a period that goes between 18 and 20 months. Meat stores provide small premises that range between 70 and 100 square meters (m2). With information from The Chronicler-RIPE
