Chris Mavris: Bringing the human element back to business. From two to 107 stores in six years.
3rd May 20222 mins read
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Powerhouse food retail CEO Chris Mavris is on the move; after successfully growing Australia’s Soul Origin Health Food empire from 2 to 107 stores over six years, he is looking at new beginnings and ventures.
Chris recently sat down for an exclusive interview with Bapple, the user experience and design agency behind the Soul Origin website. He shared with us just what it takes to grow a franchise, and the importance of brand consistency.
Within the industry, Chris is known for his dedication and passion for people, both his staff and customers. “It’s being able to have a direct human interaction with someone you’ve never met and make a difference,” Mavris says.
He’s also the first to admit that growing a successful business doesn’t come without its share of hard work.
“If you’re the leader of that business, you have to hold your head sometimes when others are losing theirs around you … anyone that tells you it’s always rosy is lying to you.”
Part of building any successful consumer facing business is ensuring there is a reliable, consistent brand, across all customer touchpoints.
So in 2018, Chris and his team called on Bapple to craft the perfect, online customer experience for the Soul Origin brand. It was crucial the site matched the fresh and inviting, in-store experience.
Chris explains “If you go to this antiquated website and your store is a sleek, smart thing, there’s a disconnect and consumers will see this”
“Your service, website and social media need to address the simple question – who are you?”
At the end of the day, the food and service industry exists for the consumer. A robust and consistent brand will make the difference between a forgettable once-off visit, and a positive ongoing relationship with a new customer.
‘People are creatures of habit, they want good service … you need to be consistent across every part of the brand. If not people will begin to think that you’re not authentic.’
“You need to be consistent across every part of the brand,”
Having successfully finished up his work in growing Soul Origin, Chris is now looking for the next big venture in bringing innovation to the Aussie food and service space.
His broad skill set and wealth of industry expertise will allow him to guide burgeoning brands on their journey to success. As his incredible achievements with Soul Origin clearly demonstrates, He doesn’t shy away from hard work. It’s in his blood, and whilst some of us would say he’s crazy, he would do it all over again.
“I’m not scared of any challenge that will come my way in any field of retail, or any field of business, really,” he says. “I want to keep it real.”
We wait eagerly for the next chapter in Chris’ growing legacy of building successful businesses and brands. Stay tuned!
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