From 0 to 100plus Units
Leveraging brands like Burger King and Popeyes, the McWin platform Rex Concepts is experiencing rapid growth in Eastern Europe. Rex Concepts’ co-founder and executive chairman, Olgierd Danielewicz, shared insights on this swift expansion at the 25th European Foodservice Summit in Amsterdam.
“We don’t count by the calendar, but by the clock,” said Danielewicz, who embarked on the mission in autumn 2022 to introduce and set the brands Burger King and Popeyes on the path of growth in Eastern Europe. Rex Concepts CEE was specifically created for this purpose. The goal set upon the founding of the McWin-funded company: 600 restaurants within a decade. After just two years, Olgierd Danielewicz can rightfully say: The company is on track. In 106 weeks—according to Danielewicz—Rex Concepts has grown from 0 to over 100 locations. Yet, as the QSR-experienced manager admits: “The beginning was tough. Six companies in three countries—Poland, Czech Republic, and Romania—had to be established to operate two brands. And it took significantly longer than planned.”
Three pillars of success
The acquisition of 20 existing Burger King restaurants and one Popeyes unit in Romania formed the basis for the rapid expansion of Rex Concepts. As success factors, Danielewicz mentioned: a strong team, competitive brands, and the ability to scale quickly. “These three factors are essential to succeed in the dynamic quick-service market. It is the people we bring on board that make the difference. We need people who are hungry for success and willing to take risks,” said the former Amrest manager.
Challenges and Strategies for Overcoming ThemWith 25 years of industry experience, including roles as COO of AmRest and President of KFC at AmRest, Danielewicz nonetheless ventured into new territory with the entrepreneurial endeavor of Rex Concepts: “Adapting the mindset from large corporations to the agility of a growing company was more challenging than expected,” said Danielewicz.
In the coming years, Danielewicz leaves no doubt that the positive development of the two brands in the Eastern European markets will continue. Thanks to Rex Concepts’ strategic roadmap, the challenges of rapid growth will be managed.
5 key learnings from the first 24 months
1. Culture eats strategy for breakfast
· Clarity about goals, values, and strategy from day one
· Mindset shifts are difficult and take time
· Experience is our great asset, but also a burden, as the world and location have changed
2. Visibility – What gets measured gets done
· The perfect is the enemy of the good, and (sometimes) good is good enough
· Short-term AND long-term challenge – (especially when data quality is an issue)
· Communicate, communicate, communicate
3. Adaptability – adapt or die!
· Locations (access, delays, performance)
· Capital allocation and availability
· Rethink and adjust priorities
4. Passion and Discipline
· They beat competence and experience anytime
· Once data is available and visible – build a process around it. A weak process is better than no process
· Rhythm is non-negotiable
5. Development
The growth of the company must not outpace personal growth
· Rex Academy (employee training) with clearly defined goals:
· Increase self-awareness (Effective Self)
· Develop leadership skills (Effective Team)
· Enhance competencies to lead a successful company (Effective Organization)
