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RFG cuts jobs in departments shake-up

Sarah Stowe

Retail Food Group has carved through its business this week, cutting jobs in a move to better streamline the support provided to franchisees.

Speaking to Inside Franchise Business, chief communications officer Belinda Hamilton confirmed several departments including the marketing team have faced cuts.

“RFG has implemented a number of structural changes to the business this week, which were flagged by our chairman at our AGM. A number of roles were affected within the marketing department, with the changes designed to place resources closer to our franchisees,” she said.

“A robust customer-focused marketing department certainly remains, including continuing and dedicated resources under each and every one of our brands.”

Hamilton revealed there are about 30 staff remaining in the marketing team which includes communications, social media and digital.

She said there had been no uniformity across the level of support between the nine brands and a new streamlined department will bring consistency and a clear structure to the business.

Marketing team members will be brand specific, and take an entrepreneurial approach to their brands, she said.

“The whole concept is to get away from shared resources. Any one of these changes is about taking resources closer to the brand. It’s a step towards gaining trust with the franchisees,” she said. “We need an agile team.”

RFG flagged a decentralisation of franchisee resources in December 2018 after former CEO Richard Hinson resigned, with newly installed executive chairman Peter George assuming the role.