Paul Matthew Crapper - General Manager – Essential Brands Group

Paul started his working career in the Electrical trade in Melbourne and after the completion of his apprenticeship identified a business opportunity to take over the business (and debts) of an underperforming Donut King franchise in Sydney. After 2 previous Franchisees had failed at the location, the business was built up by Paul to one of the top ten performing stores in the state.

 

Retail Food Group (the franchisor) acknowledged and utilised Paul’s operational skills and contracted Paul as a consultant to train new franchisees for the Donut King business, trouble shoot underperforming stores, produce training and operational manuals, perform research and development of products and marketing systems and run company stores for the franchisor; all whilst running his own franchise store.

 

The franchised store was then sold and Paul moved to the United Kingdom to assist in the very successful replication of th e Donut King and BB’s Café business’s there. Paul was contracted there for a period of 18 months as the Operations Manager for RFG Management UK. This is where Paul met Mike and Gayle Koolen. Paul was offered a partnership in the UK entity to remain there but turned it down to move back to his beloved home country with his new fiancée Gabrielle.

 

Once back in Australia Paul consulted to Retail Food Group for the next couple of years in Queensland and New South Wales. In August 1999, Paul and Gabrielle moved to Melbourne as Paul was offered the position of Group Operations Manager of the Program Group of Companies which consisted of a Services Franchise, an IT/CRM consultancy business and a Commercial Property Development business.

 

After 4 thriving years, Paul, Gabrielle and 2 year old son moved to the Gold Coast to be with other family and to enjoy the Gold Coast lifestyle. Paul along with his brother then started a Healthy and Fast Food QSR with intentions to franchise the operation. After opening 3 stores throughout the Gold Coast the stores were sold off independently as they were not convinced as to the ongoing viability of a Healthy and Fast Food acceptance by a new player in the market.

 

Paul was picked up by Domino’s Pizza Australia New Zealand and employed as the National Operations Manager of New Concepts successfully implementing new business strategies and procedures for a public company looking to diversify income generation. In early 2007 Paul took the opportunity to join Mike Koolen’s Essential Brands Group as the General Operations Manager and has contributed in the fast growing and highly successful brands under its umbrella since. Paul has held the position of General Manager of the Essential Brands Group since early 2009.