4Fingers chicken heading to Australia

Innovative casual-dining brand 4Fingers, founded in Singapore, is about to open three outlets in Australia.

Its inaugural store will be on Bourke Street in the Melbourne CBD, opening next Wednesday, to be followed by Westfield Chermside in Brisbane on June 22, and Albert Street in Brisbane’s CBD on July 7.

4Fingers was launched in 2009 by four foodie friends who, tired of the formulaic fried chicken served up by most chains, decided to open their own store serving crispy Korean-style fried chicken based on quality and sustainability. Their chain has grown to 18 outlets across Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia.

Its farm-to-fork concept offers free-range chicken free of antibiotics and hormones, freshly baked burger buns and kimslaw (kimchi coleslaw) fermented onsite. The Asian-inspired menu also offers preservative-free sauces without MSG. The brand’s passion for quality and sustainability extends from the product through to the packaging, using renewable resources.

CEO Steen Puggaard, the mastermind behind the concept, has taken the business from S$2 million (US$1.4 million) to S$30 million in revenue.

“We are focussed on building a strong brand,” he says. “Our store designs, uniforms and even the kind of music we play reflect that. We are about casual dining, not fast food.”

Following the expansion into Australia, the company has its sights set on the US and European markets.

The Australian outlets will stock artisanal beers and ciders along with local wines and soft drinks.

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