Burger King’s whopper deal to save itself

Burger King’s whopper deal to save itself
Calibre Partners’ Brendon Gibson says the wage subsidy saved Burger King. But several outlets still closed.
Victoria Young
When Burger King went into receivership amid New Zealand’s first covid-19 lockdown, the pandemic took the initial blame.But the reality is receivers had already been talking with the company since late 2019, and owner Blackstone had been looking to sell.Calibre Partners’ Brendon Gibson, who worked with the fast-food chain to save the business through negotiating with Burger King NZ’s franchisor, banks, landlords and trade creditors, now says the business wouldn’t have survived if the country hadn’t been in lockdown...

More Retail

Kitchen Things on brink, $16.6m owed: Administrators
Retail

Kitchen Things on brink, $16.6m owed: Administrators

The retailer made a $4.7m loss in the year to March 2025.

Life insurance market shrinks
Finance Risky Business

Life insurance market shrinks

Foreign firms dominate as affordability, tax and access barriers stymie growth.

The quiet rise of ‘ghost brands’
Retail

The quiet rise of ‘ghost brands’

About 90% of the 80-odd Pita Pit stores now have virtual brands operating in them.

Gregor Thompson 17 Sep 2025
‘Unusual’ volume of CCCFA changes in focus
Finance

‘Unusual’ volume of CCCFA changes in focus

Select committee mulls proposed changes to CCCFA, to report recommendations Oct 20.

Andy Macdonald 16 Sep 2025