We caught up with co-owner Luke to hear how they’re going.
Wise Boys Burgers, a plant-based burger joint, opened their first store in Grey Lynn in 2019, and have successfully been flipping all things plant based ever since.
We caught up with Luke to hear how they’re going.
How did Wise Boys come about? And why plant based?
Our business originally started as a food truck that my brother Tim and I built in our parents' driveway one summer. We had both gone plant-based with our diets and decided there weren't enough good vegan options out there, so we quit our corporate jobs and got cooking. We now have three Auckland stores, as well as a range of sauces and dressings in supermarkets around the country.
Were there challenges in shifting perceptions from the meat patty to the plant-based patty?
When we started out, there seemed to be a sense that eating vegan meant you were compromising either on taste, value or nutrition. A large part of what we're trying to do is showcase that the opposite is true. Each of our patties has around 12g of protein, and the 'bite' you'd expect from a meat patty, with a similar savoury profile. While we're not trying to mimic the flavour of meat, we're trying to replicate all the good things you'd expect from a meat burger. The same goes for our award-winning sauce range. These are as creamy and delicious as any other sauces out there, and all without the need for eggs.
What sets Wise Boys apart from the others?
We aim to be innovative and playful and not take ourselves too seriously. One summer we ran a plant-based 'phish and chips' using banana blossom to make our 'fish'. We make our own 'bacon' from rice paper, and have recently run a collaboration making a fully vegan cheeseburger pie! We're always coming up with new ideas.
What is your signature burger? And side?
Our signature burger is the Wise Boy. It's a mushroom and hemp patty topped with vegan cheese, fresh lettuce, tomato and our secret (gold medal winning) burger sauce, all set on a brioche bun. You can't go wrong with this and a side of fries with aioli. Our thickshakes with vegan whipped cream have also become one of our most popular menu items.
You were finalists in the 2018 Sustainable Business Network Awards – tell us a little bit about your sustainability practices.
A key focus for us is to have a positive impact on the world around us. We're trying to get as close to zero-to-landfill as possible. All of our packaging is fully compostable, and our sauce range is all in glass rather than plastic. We also joined a specialist recycling programme for our sauce labels.
We work hard to maintain a sustainable work culture where our staff feel valued and involved. We have an engaged team that contributes in all sorts of ways from specials ideas and taste testing, and design work to production.
Are there other Wise Boy Burgers' stores? Or plans for more stores?
We currently have a store in Grey Lynn and one in Commercial Bay, as well as a ghost kitchen that we run out of our factory in West Auckland. We've recently made the decision to switch to a franchise model, so are looking to open a number of stores in Auckland and beyond over the next couple of years. Our other focus is growing our supermarket range – our sauces and dressings are now in over 400 supermarkets across the country, including every New World in the North Island.
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Published: November 2023