UAC Nigeria’s Mr Bigg’s Remodels Operations to Recapture Market

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Many years ago, the Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) arm of UAC of Nigeria Plc, Mr Bigg’s, was the darling of children and lovers, but the introduction of other companies offering similar services forced the market leader to lose its position to rivals.

However, the management of Mr Bigg’s is working tirelessly to recapture the market and take back its rightful position again.

To achieve this, the firm, which is operated by UAC Restaurants Limited, a subsidiary of UAC Nigeria, has made its services better by remodeling its restaurants in a new initiative aimed at positively redefining the lifestyle of its numerous customers.

The new initiative is principally aimed at sustaining the heritage of the 33 years old outfit by raising the customer service to a new level.

The foremost indigenous and largest fast-growing QSR business in West Africa, with over 100 restaurants in Nigeria started as fully company owned before it transformed into partial franchise, and later full franchise.

The new initiative, according to Mrs Ethel Mba, Marketing Manager, UACN Restaurants, is to remodel the restaurants into a scintillating go-to restaurant of high value lifestyle.

Speaking at the pioneer model Restaurant located at Northwest Filling Station by the Victoria Garden City, VGC, Lekki, Lagos, during a media tour of some restaurants on Wednesday, Mrs Mba said the new approach promises to sustain excellence in wide variety of dishes, Patries and Confectionaries to the delight of its teeming consumers, which is the heritage of Mr Bigg’s.

She explained that the VGC restaurant, which was opened on July 9, 2019, will remain the ‘signature poster’ for all the other restaurants in the new concept, aimed at bringing world class meal experience for Nigeria consumers with regards to customer service and restaurant ambience.

The VGC Restaurant presents a cozy ambience backed up by excellent service delivery by professionals to give customers unparalleled experience in a friendly setting. The conveniences, the downstairs lobby, the upper lobby are world-class, coupled with an excellent Kiddies Corner named “Duplin Planet” are aimed at providing the whole family with unforgettable experience.

Mrs Mba assured that apart from the VGC Restaurant, two other restaurants will spring up in Amuwo Odofin by Festac town and Abule Egba along Lagos Abeokuta Express Way very soon.

“The new restaurants will be patterned after the structure of the Northwest restaurant by VGC to deliver high-quality food and good ambience as the basic standard. The menu offering will be aimed at providing wide variety of choices to meet the customer tastes and trends,” she said.

Not a few customers agree that no restaurant can survive without offering quality food and service aimed at giving patrons a satisfying experience.

Mrs Gbemisola Lekan, a customer, who walked into the VGC restaurant with her kids, asserted that a good family restaurant is one that offers delicious food that reminds people of the favorite meals their mothers cooked when they were kids.

She recalled with excitement that products like Mr Bigg’s meat pie, Chicken pie, and Scotch eggs are legendary and still remains the best.

Other patrons averred that in terms of comfort, the new restaurant is well cut out with space wide enough to avoid congestion and movement interruptions.

Mr Bigg’s history began with the coffee shops inside Kingsway Department Stores in the 1960s. In 1973, these shops were rebranded as Kingsway Rendezvous, which became Mr Bigg’s in 1986. The chain saw rapid expansion after becoming one of the first Nigerian companies to sell franchises to investors.

In 2012, UAC Restaurants adopted a full franchising business model making it the first to establish Franchise restaurants in order to grow the brand’s footprint and equity.

UAC Restaurants Ltd has since then owned and operated quick service restaurants with a range of products including her signature Meat pie, Chicken pie & Beef roll, Rice and Peppered Chicken, Ice cream, Pizza, and local meals.