Item 1. Business
Item 1. Business.
In this Annual Report, and unless otherwise indicated, the terms “BT Brands,” the “Company,” “we,” “us,” “our,” “our Company,” and “our business” refer to BT Brands, Inc. together with its consolidated subsidiaries.
The following discussion should be read in conjunction with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this Annual Report. Due to rounding, figures in tables may not sum exactly.
Overview of Our Company
BT Brands owns and operates various restaurants in the eastern two-thirds of the United States. As of April 1, 2023, including our 41.2% owned Bagger Dave’s business, we operated nineteen restaurants comprising the following:
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Eight Burger Time fast-food restaurants and one Dairy Queen franchise located in the North Central region of the United States, collectively (“BTND”);
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Bagger Dave’s Burger Tavern, Inc, a 41.2% owned affiliate, operates six Bagger Dave’s restaurants in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana (“Bagger Dave’s”);
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Keegan’s Seafood Grille in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida (“Keegan’s”);
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Pie In The Sky Coffee and Bakery in Woods Hole, Massachusetts (“PIE”).
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Village Bier Garten is a German-themed restaurant, bar, and entertainment venue in Cocoa, Florida (“VBG”).
Our objective is to build value for our shareholders in the food service industry. Our principal strategy is to acquire multi-unit restaurant concepts and individual restaurant properties at attractive earnings multiples. During fiscal 2022, we deployed a portion of our November 2021 public offering acquiring three operating restaurant properties. We operate the acquired businesses with a shared central management organization. Additional elements of our growth strategy encompass increasing sales and efforts to boost brand awareness.
Our Corporate History
The Company was incorporated in Delaware as Hartmax of NY, Inc. in January 2016. In 2020, we changed our corporate domicile from Delaware to Wyoming.
The Burger Time brand originated in August 1987 with the first restaurant in Fargo, North Dakota. Additional Burger Time restaurants opened in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota in the following years.
On November 12, 2021, we completed an initial public offering of 2,400,000 units of our securities at a public offering price of $5.00 per unit, each unit comprising one share of common stock and one warrant to purchase one share of common stock at an initial exercise price of $5.50 per share (the “IPO”). The net proceeds from the IPO, including the exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional warrants, were approximately $10.7 million, excluding any proceeds from the exercise of warrants and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and payment of estimated offering expenses of approximately $1.3 million.
Following our IPO, we have pursued the acquisition of restaurant properties in diverse locations across the United States. Our recent acquisitions have allowed us to diversify our operations into new restaurant segments and new geographic regions, reducing our dependency on the financial performance of our Burger Time restaurants.
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Our Restaurants
Burger Time
Burger Time restaurants feature a variety of burgers and other quick-serve foods. Our juicy, flame-broiled burgers, called “Bigger Burgers,” are made with approximately 25% more meat and are larger in diameter than our competitors' typical quarter-pound burger offerings. Our burger patties are made to our specifications by our supplier. We prepare each burger to a customer’s order and serve it hot and fresh. Other entrees include chicken sandwiches, pulled pork sandwiches, and chicken chunks. We offer an array of traditional and signature sides, many of which have evolved into regional favorites. We also offer other reasonably priced food and beverage items. From time to time, we offer specialty sandwiches and wraps at competitive prices. Our limited menu is designed to deliver quality across all products, a high taste profile, and speedy delivery. Our Burger Time brand appeals to a broad spectrum of consumers. We cater to consumers who appreciate the size and variety of our burgers and the value of our Bigger Burger, combined with the speed and efficiency provided by our single and double drive-thru windows. Subject to seasonal and local conditions, our restaurants are generally open seven days a week from 10 a.m. until 9 or 10 p.m., depending on the time of year. We offer online ordering through our website with curbside delivery. Burger Time serves the drive-thru and take-out segment of the restaurant industry.
Our operating principles for Burger Time include: (i) offering a “Bigger Burger” to deliver our customers “more good food for your money”; (ii) offering a limited menu to permit attention to quality and speed of preparation; (iii) providing fast service by way of single and double drive-thru designs and a point-of-sale system that expedites the ordering and preparation process; and (iv) great tasting quality food made fresh to order at a fair price.
Our eight Burger Time restaurants are in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota. We own the real estate on which all but one of our Burger Time restaurants are situated. In addition, we lease the property for one of our Sioux Falls, South Dakota locations.
Our Burger Time units are free-standing facilities with single or double “drive-thru’ s” and walk-up service windows. The menu, store layout and equipment are designed to work together to offer exceptional food with fast service times. This integrated design allows for maximum food output with minimal labor.
Each restaurant typically employs eight to sixteen employees, including a manager and an assistant manager. Work shifts are staggered to ensure superior customer service during our busiest times. We focus on customer service and seek to staff our stores with friendly, customer-focused personnel. Our managers and assistant managers are full-time employees. We support our managers by offering competitive wages, including incentive bonuses for performance. Our experienced managers train new assistant managers in all facets of a restaurant’s operations. Our manager training stresses food quality; fast, friendly customer service; restaurant cleanliness; and proper management operations of a quick service restaurant. We also focus on food safety and sanitation, employment laws and regulations, and systems to control food and labor costs. All managers and assistant managers must obtain the required food safety (HACCP) certification applicable to their location.
Each restaurant has a point-of-sale system monitored by the management of the restaurant. These systems allow managers to monitor sales, labor, customer counts and other pertinent information. The general manager of each restaurant reports directly to a Director of Operations, who in turn reports to our Chief Operating Officer, who oversees all aspects of restaurant operations, including kitchen operations, restaurant facility management, new restaurant openings and the roll-out of key operational initiatives. All our restaurants prepare detailed monthly operating budgets and compare their actual results to their budgets.
We purchase a majority of our food, paper, packaging and related supplies for our Burger Time restaurants from Sysco Corporation, the nation’s largest distributor of food products. Sysco distributes these supplies to our restaurants on a frequent and routine basis.
As of April 1, 2023, our Burger Time restaurants employed 81 individuals, including 20 full-time and 61 part-time employees. Our full-time employees are salaried managers and assistant managers; the remaining restaurant staff are hourly employees.
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Dairy Queen Franchise
In October 2015, we acquired a 99% ownership interest in a Dairy Queen (“DQ”) franchise in Ham Lake, Minnesota. The franchise’s remaining 1% ownership interest is owned by the General Manager, with specific DQ qualifications and whose ownership is required under the operating agreement with the franchisor. We are party to a franchise agreement with DQ that, among other things, restricts our menu offerings to the established DQ menu and limits our flexibility. We are prohibited from selling non-DQ-approved items at this franchise location and may not market this restaurant as a part of Burger Time. We have no plans to enter into additional franchise agreements with DQ or any other national chain of restaurants. However, we will consider franchise opportunities if we become aware of an attractive opportunity.
Keegan’s Seafood Grille
On March 2, 2022, we acquired substantially all the assets of Keegan’s Seafood Grille, Inc., an operating restaurant located in Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, for $1,150,000. Keegan’s Seafood Grille has operated in the same location for over 35 years, serving the Clearwater, Florida market. We acquired the “Keegan’s Seafood Grille” tradename and website and plan to continue to operate as Keegan’s Seafood Grille.
Keegan’s is a family-friendly casual restaurant located directly across the street from the beach. The establishment’s award-winning dishes are made in-house using the freshest local ingredients. Keegan’s motto is “Eat Fresh and Eat Wild.” Keegan’s is well known for daily fish specials, innovative seafood dishes, an extensive kids’ menu, and excellent service. Keegan’s offers a selection of beer and wine. The restaurant features indoor and outdoor dining options, is open daily for lunch and dinner, and offers take-out and curbside pickup options.
As of April 15, 2023, Keegan’s employed 41 persons, including 21 full-time and 20 part-time employees. Our employees include a full-time, salaried manager and a salaried kitchen manager; the remaining restaurant staff are hourly employees.
Pie In The Sky Coffee and Bakery
On May 11, 2022, we acquired the assets of Pie In The Sky Coffee and Bakery (“PIE”), a coffee restaurant and bakery near the Steamship Authority ferry terminal in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. We acquired the assets for an aggregate purchase price of $1,150,000. We acquired the “Pie In The Sky” tradename and the piecoffee.com web address as part of the purchase.
PIE has served the local community and ferry travelers to Martha’s Vineyard for nearly forty years. PIE serves a variety of breakfast and lunch sandwiches, all prepared on store-baked bread; handmade pastries, soups and salads are all freshly made. In addition, we offer patrons freshly roasted coffee beverages, smoothies, and brand merchandise. The store is open seven days a week, year-round, except Christmas.
As of April 15, 2023, PIE employed 47 persons, including three full-time and 44 part-time employees. Our full-time employees include three full-time, salaried managers and assistant managers and a varying number of staff, all of whom are hourly employees.
Village Bier Garten
On August 4, 2022, we acquired substantially all of the assets, including tradenames and social media accounts of Von Stephan Village Bier Garten. We have rebranded the business Village ( “VBG”), a German-themed, family-friendly casual restaurant and bar concept in Cocoa, Florida. VBG features authentic German food and imported German beers combined with regular entertainment, creating an entertaining atmosphere and delivering a memorable guest experience. The restaurant offers indoor seating and access to an outdoor shared seating area where patrons eat and enjoy live entertainment most evenings.
As of April 1, 2023, Village Bier Garten employed 31 persons, including six full-time and 25 part-time employees. Our employees include two salaried managers, two hourly assistant managers, and hourly restaurant staff.
Bagger Dave’s Burger Tavern
In June 2022, we acquired capital stock representing 41.2% ownership of Bagger Dave’s Burger Tavern, Inc., a publicly-traded company that owns and operates six Bagger Dave’s restaurants, a casual restaurant and bar concept. Bagger Dave’s provides an inviting, entertaining atmosphere specializing in burgers, tavern-style pizzas, hand-cut fries, local craft beers, milkshakes, salads and other items. Bagger Dave’s opened its first restaurant in Berkley, Michigan, in January 2008 and operates four restaurants in Michigan, one restaurant in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, and one location in Centerville, Ohio, with 165 full-time employees, including a total of 22 salaried managers and assistants.
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Marketing and Advertising
Our marketing and advertising expenditures have been principally allocated to social media, with limited advertisements in newspapers and radio. In addition, we have employed product discount coupons, live remote broadcasts, customer contests, and direct mailings. We also utilize marketing incentives from our suppliers whenever possible. Our Burger Time restaurants offer an online ordering capability and curbside delivery program through the BTND website, and we expect to implement online ordering at all of our businesses. We emphasize direct database marketing supplemented by social media tools to promote our brand and local stores. Collectively, however, our marketing-related expenditures have historically comprised less than 1% of our net revenues. Generally, restaurant sales are derived from drive-by traffic and dedicated return visits from loyal customers. However, as we expand our restaurant base, our marketing and advertising expenditures may need to increase.
We expect to develop more sophisticated marketing programs, including an expanded social media presence, to build consumer brand awareness of our restaurants.
Growth Strategy
We are seeking to increase value for our shareholders in the food service industry. Our strategy is acquiring restaurant concepts and individual properties at attractive earnings multiples. Other key elements of our growth strategy encompass increasing same-store sales and introducing a campaign to boost brand awareness.
As we develop and extend our business into new food concepts and geographic areas, we expect to pursue strategies that will leverage our multiple brands, capacity, and reach, which may include:
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creating dual concept locations allowing for two or more of our brands to operate in a single space with a shared kitchen;
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offering third-party (e.g., Uber Eats) and local delivery services;
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entering into licensing agreements allowing the third-party sale of our products; and
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employing direct database marketing, including social media, to drive business.
As a public company, we may be presented with and would evaluate any other opportunities that may become available, including, for example, a reverse merger candidate in the restaurant industry, whereby a significantly larger private restaurant chain seeking to avail itself of our public company status by merging with our business.
Growth Through Acquisitions
We intend to continue to make acquisitions that provide an entrance into targeted restaurant segments and geographic areas. Restaurant businesses frequently become available for acquisition. We may purchase either individual restaurant properties or multi-unit businesses at prices projected to provide attractive returns on our investment. In addition, we may acquire operating assets where a franchise program is the focus of the acquired food service business. We intend to follow a disciplined strategy of evaluating acquisition opportunities to ensure the accretive and efficient integration of additional restaurant concepts. Successful execution of our strategy will allow us to diversify our operations both into other dining concepts and geographic locations.
In evaluating potential acquisitions, we may consider the following characteristics, among others relevant to each opportunity:
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the value proposition when comparing the purchase price to the potential return on our investment;
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established, recognized brands within a geographic footprint;
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a historical record of consistent and growing cash flow;
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record of operating performance;
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sustainable operating results;
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geographic diversification; and
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growth potential.
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When we acquire new businesses, we will operate the business or businesses with a shared central management organization. Following the acquisition, we expect to pursue a growth plan to expand the number of locations and increase comparable store sales and profits, as described below. By leveraging our management services platform, we will achieve post-acquisition cost benefits by reducing the corporate overhead of the acquired business. If we acquire restaurant chains or individual units close to each other, concentration could provide economic synergies with respect to management functions, marketing, advertising, supply chain assistance, staff training, and operational oversight.
Increase Sales
Same-store sales growth reflects the change in year-over-year sales for the comparable store base. We intend to deploy a multi-faceted sales growth strategy to optimize restaurant performance. We will apply techniques proven in the restaurant industry to increase same-store sales at all our restaurants. We also may develop new approaches that reflect our corporate character and restaurant composition. We expect to utilize customer feedback and analyze sales data to introduce, test, and hone existing and new menu items. In addition, we will investigate using public relations and experiential marketing to engage customers. Our strategies to increase same-store sales will evolve as we acquire new restaurant concepts in new markets.
Increase Brand Awareness
Increasing brand awareness is essential to the growth of our Company. We intend to develop and implement forward-looking branding strategies for our businesses. We will seek to leverage social media and employ targeted digital advertising to expand the reach of our brands and drive traffic to our stores. In addition, we intend to develop mobile applications that will allow consumers to find restaurants, order online and receive special offers. We expect our branding initiatives to evolve as we complete acquisitions.
Trademarks and Service Marks
We operate under several tradenames and have acquired a variety of trade and service marks. We have registered “It’s Burger Time” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Our trademarks and service marks, whether or not formally registered, are valuable to us and important to our marketing efforts. We may develop additional marks in the future. Our policy is to pursue registration of our marks when appropriate and to vigorously oppose infringement .
Competition
We own restaurants in the quick service, fast casual, and casual dining categories of the restaurant industry. The competitive environment in each category is intense in terms of price, service, location, and food quality. We face significant competition from a wide variety of restaurants on a national, regional, and local level. Dining choices continue to expand with the increasing popularity of food delivery services. The restaurant industry is often affected by changes in consumer tastes, dietary trends, local and national economic conditions, demographics, traffic patterns, consumer spending, population trends, and local traffic patterns. The restaurant industry has few barriers to entry, and new competitors may emerge at any time.
Seasonality
Seasonal factors and the timing of holidays cause our revenue to fluctuate from quarter to quarter. Our BTND revenue is typically lower in the first and fourth quarters because of winter weather. PIE is highly seasonal, with a significant portion of its business occurring during summer. Our Florida locations achieve peak revenue during the winter travel season.
Regulation and Compliance
Our operations are subject to a wide range of federal, state, and local government regulations, including those relating to, among others, public health and safety, zoning and fire codes, labor, and franchising. Our failure to obtain or retain food or other licenses and registrations or exemptions would adversely affect the operations of our restaurants. We operate each of our restaurants with standards and procedures designed to comply with applicable laws, codes, and regulations. To date, we have not experienced and do not anticipate any problems in obtaining required licenses, permits, or approvals; however, any difficulties, delays, or failures in obtaining such licenses, permits, registrations, exemptions, or permissions in the future could delay or prevent the opening of a location and adversely impact the viability of a restaurant.
The development and construction of any new restaurants will be subject to compliance with applicable zoning, land use, and environmental regulations. We believe federal and state environmental regulations have not had a material effect on operations, but more stringent and varied requirements of local government bodies concerning zoning, land use, and environmental factors could delay construction and increase development costs for new restaurants.
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We are also subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act, the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986, and various federal and state laws governing such matters as minimum wages, overtime, unemployment tax rates, workers’ compensation rates, citizenship requirements, and other working conditions. Most of our hourly staff, except for Bagger Dave’s Michigan tip-compensated employees, are paid above the applicable federal or state minimum wage. Accordingly, increases in the minimum wage likely will not have a significant impact on labor costs. We also may be subject to various laws and regulations related to any future franchise operations. We are also subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibits discrimination based on disability in public accommodations and employment.
States, counties, and cities have enacted menu labeling laws requiring restaurant operators to disclose certain nutritional information to consumers or have enacted legislation restricting the use of certain ingredients in restaurants. Many of these requirements are inconsistent or interpreted differently from one jurisdiction to another. These requirements may be different or inconsistent with requirements that we are subject to under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010, (“ACA”), as amended, which establishes federal requirements applicable to chain restaurants with 20 or more locations to post nutritional information on their menus. In addition, the ACA mandates that restaurant businesses with more than 50 full-time employees offer health benefits to full-time employees and their dependents or face possible penalties. The ACA imposes significant reporting requirements on restaurant businesses including certifying whether they offer minimum essential coverage to full-time employees. The failure to comply with ACA is significant and new regulations increasing coverage requirements and costs could have a material adverse effect on our business.
We are not engaged in the business as a “franchisor.” We operate a Dairy Queen unit as a “franchisee” of Dairy Queen. Franchise operations are governed by state laws that regulate the offer and sale of franchises and the franchisor-franchisee relationship. Such laws generally require registration of the franchise offering with state authorities and regulate the franchise relationship by, for example, requiring the franchisor to deal with its franchisees in good faith, prohibiting interference with the right of free association among franchisees, limiting the imposition of standards of performance on a franchisee and regulating discrimination against franchisees in charges, royalties or fees. In addition, such laws may restrict a franchisor in the termination of a franchise agreement by, for example, requiring “good cause” to exist as a basis for the termination, advance notice to the franchisee of the termination, an opportunity to cure a default and a repurchase of inventory or other compensation.
Environmental Matters
We are subject to extensive federal, state, and local laws and regulations relating to environmental protection, including regulation of discharges into the air and water, storage and disposal of waste, and clean-up of contaminated soil and groundwater. Under various federal, state, and local laws, an owner or operator of real estate may be liable for the costs of removal or remediation of hazardous or toxic substances on, in, or emanating from such property. Such liability may be imposed without regard to whether the owner or operator knew of, or was responsible for, the presence of such hazardous or toxic substances. We have not conducted a comprehensive environmental review of our properties or operations. As a result, no assurance can be given that we have identified potential environmental liabilities at our properties or that such liabilities will not have a material adverse effect on our financial condition.
Employees
As of April 15, 2023, our corporate office had three employees. In addition, each of our restaurants has a General Manager, an assistant manager or supervisor, and a varying number of restaurant staff, all hourly employees. Including wholly owned subsidiaries of the Company, as of April 15, 2023, we had approximately 220 employees, including 51 full-time and 168 part-time employees. None of our employees are unionized or covered by collective bargaining agreements, and we consider our current employee relations to be good.
Marketable Securities
From time to time, we purchase publicly traded marketable securities. Historically, these securities consisted of investments in exchange-listed common stocks with published prices per share readily available.
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Investments
Our investments include our net investment of $1,065,187 in Bagger Dave’s as determined under the “Equity Method” of accounting. Our $304,000 total investment in Next Gen Ice, Inc. (“NGI”) includes equity in the form of 179,000 common shares received in 2020 ownership as consideration for extending the maturity of a note receivable that was repaid in August 2020. Under terms of the Note modification, we received 179,000 shares of common stock in NGI from the founders of NGI. We also received warrants expiring March 31, 2029, to purchase 358,000 shares of common stock for $1.00 per share. We attributed $75,000 to the value of the equity received. This amount was reflected as interest income in 2020. The 2020 fair value continues to be reflected as the value of this investment. On February 12, 2022, we invested $229,000 in 138,788 shares of NGI Series A1 8% Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock, convertible share for share into NGI common shares. This investment is reflected at the cost of $229,000. The preferred investment included a five-year warrant to purchase 34,697 shares at $1.65 per share. Our CEO, Gary Copperud, is Chairman of the board of directors of NGI. Our Chief Operating Officer, Kenneth Brimmer, is also a member of the board of directors of NGI and serves as its Chief Financial Officer. The investment in NGI does not have a readily determinable market value, and it is carried at the historic cost determined by BT Brands.