Marlowe’s

About Marlowe’s

Premium burger concept Marlowe’s was founded in 2017 by Sean Marlowe and currently operates sites in Sevenoaks, Tunbridge Wells, Bromley, Worthing and Clapham, with Brentwood coming soon. In January 2024, Carl Traill, who stepped down from leading Miss Millie’s Fried Chicken two months earlier, joined Marlowe’s as its new managing director. Under Traill’s direction, Miss Millie’s grew to 16 sites, launched a franchise offer and partnered with MFG, the UK’s largest independent forecourt operator. Traill told Propel he plans to use his previous experience to take the business into a franchise format. He said: “The plan now is to continue expansion through the franchise model. We are hoping to have our first franchise partner in the next six months. We are looking for single site and multi-site franchisees, initially in England. We’re targeting ten new openings in 2024. The model has a low-cost entry point, with affordable capex and strong sales and margin opportunities.” In April 2024, Marlowe’s partnered with Laine Pub Company, launching its offer out of the one of the pub operator’s Brighton sites, The World's End. Traill told Propel: “This is our first collaboration with Laine, but hopefully with many more to come. Marlowe's is the perfect solution for a quality quick service food offering in pub kitchens. With extremely strong home delivery sales on top of instore purchases, this gives great leverage for the business. The company is now geared up to expand through the franchise model.”

Why franchise with Marlowe’s

• ✓Joining the Marlowe’s Burger family comes with a £15,000 franchise fee, a 6% royalty and 2% for marketing. A typical kitchen conversion would cost from just £25,000, depending on extraction needs. A high street location would start from £50,000. Expect to be in your new location swiftly – from signing the agreement to opening the store, as quickly as four weeks. Options include pub partners, high streets, travel hubs and dark kitchens. The company said: “We are excited to offer franchise opportunities across the country, providing you with the chance to bring our exceptional burgers to customers, all the way from Scotland to the south coast of England. Our low-cost entry point makes Marlowe’s Burger an accessible investment with high potential returns. Our training and ongoing support ensures your Marlowe’s business is a success. Prior to the grand opening, we provide training at one of our established locations for up to four members of your team. A two-week immersive experience ensures an understanding of Marlowe’s Burger standards and operations. Gain a competitive edge with direct access to our core business supply chain – we’ve developed strong relationships to ensure quality ingredients at the best prices, direct to your kitchen.
• ✓Upholding Marlowe’s Burger standards is a collective effort – benefit from a quarterly brand standards audit and mystery shopper assessments to ensure consistency and quality. Access to competitive commission rates through our trusted delivery partners – enjoy the benefits of our long-standing delivery partnerships. We value the unique needs and goals of each franchisee – our commitment extends to giving one-on-one time, along with offering personalised support and guidance tailored to your specific journey and aspirations.”