Great company, a freshly tapped beer, pretzels fresh from the oven, on a sunny day under the chestnut trees in the Paulaner beer garden.
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This is exactly how the Munich lifestyle defines itself, and this is exactly what you can experience when you walk into a Paulaner franchise restaurant, anywhere you are in the world! Whether in Berlin, Singapore, Moscow, or Beijing, every visit to a Paulaner concept restaurant feels like a short trip to Munich.
GENUINE MUNICH BREWING
The company behind this is Paulaner Franchise & Consulting GmbH (PFC), which has developed a franchise system for beer-oriented gastronomy and understands how to bring Gemütlichkeit, genuine Munich brewing art and authentic Bavarian cuisine to life anywhere in the world. PFC is a 100 per cent company subsidiary of the world-famous Paulaner and offers its gastronomy concept in three sizes.
The Paulaner Bräuhaus has its own in-house brewery and is the flagship among the restaurants; the Paulaner Wirtshaus is the mid-size concept and serves fresh Paulaner beer from Munich; and the Paulaner Bierhaus, as the smallest property size, is ideally suited for high-traffic locations such as airports, shopping malls, or train stations.
DEEP CULTURAL IDENTITY
Starting in 1989 on Munich’s Kapuzinerplatz, it is now an international success story. That year, the first restaurant with its own in-house brewery opened just two kilometers from the Nockherberg, where Paulaner beer was brewed for some 400 years.
This unusual idea aroused the interest of the German Lufthansa together with the hotel chain Kempinski, who wanted a Bavarian restaurant with house-brewed Paulaner beer in their new hotel complex in Beijing.
At that time, Paulaner had no export business with China, which is why they initially rejected the request. But after convincing all parties, the first international Paulaner Bräuhaus was opened in 1992. Since that day, more than six million liters of expertlybrewed beer have been served in Beijing alone to date.
Whereas at that time the company was still operating under a loose licensing system with the main focus on beer sales, today it has a fullyfledged franchise concept with a 360 degree approach.
It can be implemented even without experience in Bavarian cuisine and culture. In addition to traditional beer expertise, the Paulaner franchise concept offers a unique solution for implementing authentic Bavarian cuisine anywhere in the world.
Behind the well-known logo of the Paulaner monk lies centuries of beer tradition, genuine craftsmanship, and pure passion. The Paulaner brewmasters all over the world brew according to the Bavarian Purity Law, and make the art of brewing tangible for every guest.
LOCAL FEEL, GLOBAL APPEAL
Another success factor in the implementation is the 80/20 formula: 80 per cent of the concept is predetermined and necessary to create authenticity, 20 per cent are local adaptations.
“This ensures that each location brings in its own distinctive character and that our Bavarian concept fits seamlessly into its surroundings,” says Lars Eckart, managing director of PFC. “This gives us the best of both worlds. Each of the sites is individually vetted and handpicked. We look at all macro and micro factors and carefully consider whether this location fits Paulaner and the operator. The partner’s domestic knowledge plays a weighty role, because no one knows the local market better than they do.”
Cooperation with the franchisee is the key to success. The partners are not only F&B experts who know their business like the back of their hand but also excellent hosts.
Paulaner considers their partners not only as franchisees but as co-entrepreneurs who play a decisive role in the company’s success.
“Our guests do not just walk into our restaurants; we welcome them on their personal trip to Munich,” explains Nadine Morper, who is assisting in the expansion. “It’s about having a good time together. Our Paulaner concept restaurants are a place for socializing and companionship. Selecting our franchise partners as hosts and trustworthy partners is therefore especially close to our hearts.”
Lars Eckart is certain that it would not work at all without this level of cooperation: “Our success can’t be attributed solely to our great team, a strong brand, and a smart concept. It’s the collaboration with our partners that brings our restaurants to life locally and gives their guests an authentic Bavarian experience.”
“The Paulaner franchise concept offers a unique solution for implementing authentic Bavarian cuisine anywhere in the world”
MUTUAL TRUST BREEDS EXCELLENCE
In addition to professional expertise and a passion for gastronomy, a common basis for long-term cooperation is essential. Lars Eckart likes to refer to the selection process as a couch date. “If you have concerns about inviting a new franchise partner to your home and introducing them to your spouse, you shouldn’t commit to 10 years or more. Mutual trust, understanding, and communication are elementary for success,” he says.
“Obviously, the COVID-19 crisis hugely impacted our business. Most of our restaurants are in China. While COVID-19 was not yet an issue in Europe, we had to temporarily close almost all restaurants in China from one day to the next at the end of January 2020. It was important for us to act quickly, to always be available for our partners, and to find individual solutions that meet local restrictions and still provide sustainable revenue streams,” reflects Jürgen Schenk, who joins Lars Eckart in the management board.
The result was very big steps in digitization, setting up a digital B2B platform for on-demand retrieval of files, videos, and marketing material, regular webinars and online training, and further development and upgrade of the existing takeaway system.
At the end of the day, it is the combination of operator, location, and concept that is essential to creating a memorable guest experience. Franchisor and franchisee grow together, push each other to achieve excellence, and jointly create memories that guests like to talk about and share the experience with others.
Whether at the Oktoberfest or at the Paulaner franchise restaurants, one should fully immerse themselves in the brand. This is how the team defines its 360 degree approach – and they are convinced that this way, everybody benefits.
AT A GLANCE
Established: 1996
Number of franchised outlets: 50
Location of units: Germany, China, Russia, Singapore, Azerbaijan, Taiwan, Macau, Indonesia
Investment range: €2,500 to €3,000 per sqm.
Minimum required capital: approx. €100,000
Contact: Mrs. Nadine Morper, franchise@paulaner.de
