Industry veteran Shawn Kerr steps into a new role as Chief Executive Officer of Burger Urge, bringing 32 years’ experience at some of the world’s most successful food retail companies to facilitate the
burger brand’s national expansion plans.

Mr Kerr has held senior management roles across the quick service retail, fast casual and franchising sectors at McDonald’s Australia and Coca-Cola Amatil, and most recently introduced Zambrero, Carl’s Jr. and Cinnabon to the Australian market in leadership start-up roles.

Burger Urge was founded by brothers Sean and Colby Carthew in 2007 with a single shopfront on Brunswick Street in New Farm and currently operates 29 restaurants across Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and Northern Territory, including two new sites in Cairns and Darwin.

The newly created role sees Co-Founder Sean Carthew step back from a management role to focus on strategic growth and assist incoming CEO Shawn Kerr implement a structured plan to grow the Brisbane-based gourmet burger brand to a $100M international business within the next five years.

“I’m very excited about the long-term vision for the group and thrilled to be at the helm of a dynamic young company such as Burger Urge, which has grown from a start-up to a national business over the past decade,” Mr Kerr said.

“Sean and Colby Carthew are less concerned about growth and bottom line and more interested in making a positive contribution to the world, which is very appealing to me and a vision I can really get behind and help drive forward,” he said.

Co-Founder Sean Carthew said the main driver of Burger Urge’s five-year plan is reimagining food retail in a changing world with a focus on environmental sustainability, health and wellbeing, animal welfare and energy consumption, while continuing to deliver an engaging and entertaining experience to burger fans.

“We’re thrilled to welcome Shawn Kerr and his wealth of international and national experience in food retail and franchising to Burger Urge and allow the company to embark on our strategic expansion plan,” he said.

“It’s not about being the biggest company in the universe – we’ve already achieved enough to have a happy life. So, rather than obsessing with growth and world domination, we want to grow in a way that creates actual positive change (and not just say we are). When we look back in 20 years we want to be proud of our contribution,” Mr Carthew said.