Harry’s Cafe de Wheels, an institution in Sydney, Australia, since 1938, is to expand across China after a new franchise partnership was sealed.
As many as 300 of the pie-anchored QSR cafes will be opened during the next 15 years, using meat from Australian cattle farmed in China.
The Chinese partners are businessmen Stevi Xu and Sam Mei, who were educated in Sydney and grew a fondness for the waterfront eatery, a popular destination for late night revellers. They approached Harry’s Cafe de Wheels owner Michael Hannah six months ago to discuss a joint venture in Greater China.
The cornerstone of the cafe’s menu has always been pies and mushy peas, but the menu has since diversified to include hot dogs, chips and other foods favoured buy nightowls.

 
The first outlet will open in either Hong Kong or Shenzhen by mid year, with the cafes to be supplied from a central bakery.
Hannah, 67, says the Chinese partners believe the pies and hot dogs will be “a big hit”.
“It’s exciting to take a little bit of Australia overseas and I am determined to make it successful, for that reason the contract is performance based. It will work as a partnership,’’ he said.

The trio plan to ensure the Chinese products are “as authentically Australian as possible”.
“It’s important to me that we make sure the brand of Harry’s is protected and the quality of the product we serve over there is equal to that which we provide here,” Hannah said.
“The flour and a lot of other ingredients that are in our pies and can’t be sourced locally will be shipped in containers monthly from Australia.”
In Australia, Harry’s Cafe de Wheels has 10 stores in New South Wales, with another four planned for 2016.