Jack Cowin
Encyclopedia
Jack Cowin is an Australia
n businessman who owns Hungry Jack's
, the Burger King
franchise in Australia and is the Executive Chairman of Competitive Foods Australia
, one of the country's largest privately held businesses. He is sometimes called The Father of Fast Food in Australia.
in Ontario, Canada, his father had been posted to Australia briefly by Ford
and later encouraged his son to consider emigrating there.
for four years in Toronto before deciding to visit Australia to assess some business opportunities. Seeing long queues at a Chinese takeaway restaurant while vacationing in Sydney, he became convinced that fast food would sell well. He later returned to Australia to evaluate expanding KFC
into the market that at that stage had limited fast food options.
He bought the right to open ten KFC franchises in Western Australia, raised $10,000 from each of thirty people to launch the business in December 1969, having moved with his wife and young child. Those who invested $10,000 then, had an investment worth around $8.9 million as at March 2006.
After opening eight KFC outlets, he bought the rights to Burger King
. They both later discovered someone else had the rights to the Burger King trademark in Australia, so Cowin instead called the outlets Hungry Jack's
. Many years later he had a falling out with Burger King over the name and other issues related to their franchise agreement which was eventually resolved in his favour.
The business Competitive Foods Australia continues to be privately held by his family, with an estimated value of $350 million. It owns 50 KFC outlets in Western Australia and the Northern Territory in addition to the 340 Hungry Jack's outlets throughout Australia, only 100 franchised. His family trust is also the majority shareholder in Domino's Pizza
, one of the country's biggest pizza franchises.
Cowin also owns a meat processing business that exports throughout the world, he sold a substantial investment in Stanbroke Pastoral Company, one of the country's biggest cattle station
operators. He is also an investor with 40% of BridgeClimb, the business that operates walking tours over the Sydney Harbour Bridge
. Bridgeclimb itself made an estimated $10 million profit in 2002. He also very shrewdly invested in Network Ten
, the television broadcaster, selling out of his stake with a profit of around $100 million. He is also one of the largest investors in Ross Human Directors Limited, an Australian listed recruiting company. Cowin is also an investor in the Lone Star restaurant chain in Canada.
He is a member of the board of directors of Ten Network Ltd. He is also a director of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority. Cowin is an active member of the World Presidents Organization. He lives in Sydney with his wife, with whom he has had four children.
He made a donation to the University of Western Ontario
to pay for the stands of the new football field, named after his father Stanley J. Cowin.
Cowin was listed on the BRW Australian Rich 200 list at number 70 in 2008, and 79 in 2009, and had an estimated net worth of A$486m and an estimated value of A$538m in 2010.
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n businessman who owns Hungry Jack's
Hungry Jack's
Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd, often colloquially abbreviated to HJ's, Hungry's or Hungie's, is the exclusive Australian master fast food franchisee of Burger King Corporation. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Competitive Foods Australia, a privately held company owned by Jack Cowin...
, the Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
franchise in Australia and is the Executive Chairman of Competitive Foods Australia
Competitive Foods Australia
Competitive Foods Australia Pty Ltd is the largest franchiser of restaurants in Australia. It is owned and operated by Jack Cowin. Its units include Hungry Jack's, KFC and Domino's Pizza.- Holdings :...
, one of the country's largest privately held businesses. He is sometimes called The Father of Fast Food in Australia.
Early life
Born in WindsorWindsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
in Ontario, Canada, his father had been posted to Australia briefly by Ford
Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational automaker based in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit. The automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. In addition to the Ford and Lincoln brands, Ford also owns a small stake in Mazda in Japan and Aston Martin in the UK...
and later encouraged his son to consider emigrating there.
Career
He became an insurance salesman with London LifeLondon Life Insurance Company
London Life Insurance Company is a Canadian life insurance company best known for its "Freedom 55" slogan, evocative of saving money to an extent that would allow one to retire at age 55...
for four years in Toronto before deciding to visit Australia to assess some business opportunities. Seeing long queues at a Chinese takeaway restaurant while vacationing in Sydney, he became convinced that fast food would sell well. He later returned to Australia to evaluate expanding KFC
KFC
KFC, founded and also known as Kentucky Fried Chicken, is a chain of fast food restaurants based in Louisville, Kentucky, in the United States. KFC has been a brand and operating segment, termed a concept of Yum! Brands since 1997 when that company was spun off from PepsiCo as Tricon Global...
into the market that at that stage had limited fast food options.
He bought the right to open ten KFC franchises in Western Australia, raised $10,000 from each of thirty people to launch the business in December 1969, having moved with his wife and young child. Those who invested $10,000 then, had an investment worth around $8.9 million as at March 2006.
After opening eight KFC outlets, he bought the rights to Burger King
Burger King
Burger King, often abbreviated as BK, is a global chain of hamburger fast food restaurants headquartered in unincorporated Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The company began in 1953 as Insta-Burger King, a Jacksonville, Florida-based restaurant chain...
. They both later discovered someone else had the rights to the Burger King trademark in Australia, so Cowin instead called the outlets Hungry Jack's
Hungry Jack's
Hungry Jack's Pty Ltd, often colloquially abbreviated to HJ's, Hungry's or Hungie's, is the exclusive Australian master fast food franchisee of Burger King Corporation. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Competitive Foods Australia, a privately held company owned by Jack Cowin...
. Many years later he had a falling out with Burger King over the name and other issues related to their franchise agreement which was eventually resolved in his favour.
The business Competitive Foods Australia continues to be privately held by his family, with an estimated value of $350 million. It owns 50 KFC outlets in Western Australia and the Northern Territory in addition to the 340 Hungry Jack's outlets throughout Australia, only 100 franchised. His family trust is also the majority shareholder in Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza
Domino's Pizza, Inc. is an international pizza delivery corporation headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States of America. Founded in 1960, Domino's is the second-largest pizza chain in the United States and has over 9,000 corporate and franchised stores in 60 countries and all 50 U.S....
, one of the country's biggest pizza franchises.
Cowin also owns a meat processing business that exports throughout the world, he sold a substantial investment in Stanbroke Pastoral Company, one of the country's biggest cattle station
Cattle station
Cattle station is an Australian term for a large farm , whose main activity is the rearing of cattle. In Australia, the owner of a cattle station is called a grazier...
operators. He is also an investor with 40% of BridgeClimb, the business that operates walking tours over the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
. Bridgeclimb itself made an estimated $10 million profit in 2002. He also very shrewdly invested in Network Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
, the television broadcaster, selling out of his stake with a profit of around $100 million. He is also one of the largest investors in Ross Human Directors Limited, an Australian listed recruiting company. Cowin is also an investor in the Lone Star restaurant chain in Canada.
He is a member of the board of directors of Ten Network Ltd. He is also a director of the Sydney Olympic Park Authority. Cowin is an active member of the World Presidents Organization. He lives in Sydney with his wife, with whom he has had four children.
He made a donation to the University of Western Ontario
University of Western Ontario
The University of Western Ontario is a public research university located in London, Ontario, Canada. The university's main campus covers of land, with the Thames River cutting through the eastern portion of the main campus. Western administers its programs through 12 different faculties and...
to pay for the stands of the new football field, named after his father Stanley J. Cowin.
Cowin was listed on the BRW Australian Rich 200 list at number 70 in 2008, and 79 in 2009, and had an estimated net worth of A$486m and an estimated value of A$538m in 2010.