From pop-up to plant-based powerhouse:

the rise of Wise Boys Burgers

Luke and Tim

In a world where common wisdom often guides our choices, brothers Luke and Tim Burrows have consistently defied traditional logic and expectations. Abandoning what are perceived as solid careers in law and engineering, they ventured into plant-based cuisine with no prior experience in the food industry. Yet, their start-up Wise Boys has grown, with two restaurant locations so far and products available in supermarkets nationwide.

Luke and Tim have always been close collaborators. Ten years ago, while studying at the University of Auckland, they entered the Velocity Ideas Challenge competition – a start-up ideas competition run by the Business School’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE). The idea they submitted didn’t have legs, but the experience solidified that they wanted to work together at some point. The question was doing what. Luke says, “We talked about how we wanted to create something that wasn’t just focused on profits but that was centred around sustainability and contributed positively to the world.”

After graduating, the brothers both tried a conventional career path but the pull to start their own business grew. Tim had already started his own small business recording and mixing music. The idea for a company they could build together came when they both went plant-based with their diets in 2015, and the pair were frustrated by the lack of exciting dining options for people who wanted to have a plant-based diet. Luke describes Wise Boys as “plant-based food that is fun and indulgent, where not eating animal products doesn’t have to mean compromise on flavour or enjoyment.”

Their start-up capital came from savings from their corporate careers and from moving in with family for a few months, plus crowdsourcing and a bank loan.

Tim and Luke have continued to be resourceful and imaginative, taking on everything from fitting out their Grey Lynn store themselves to navigating how to manufacture for retail. They continue to be fully self-funded and there are now around 400 shops across New Zealand selling their vegan mayos, aiolis and dressings. They’re also working on their burger patties that are now available in Farro stores across Auckland.

Luke and Tim’s knowledge and networks were built through experience and with the support of the entrepreneurial ecosystem, including the Good Food Programme run by the Sustainable Business Network. Luke says, “It’s not possible to run a successful business without having good relationships and taking every opportunity possible to learn through your interactions with others.”

Innovation has been key for product development. Instead of creating mock-meat that is often scientific in its composition, Wise Boys has preferred to focus on showcasing wholefood and local New Zealand ingredients that are prepared in a way to create a satisfying texture and flavour. Ingredients used in their burgers include jackfruit, New Zealand hemp, New Zealand mushrooms and onion, New Zealand quinoa and organic tofu. They also consistently try to make improvements on every aspect of their business in the quest to be as sustainable as possible, tackling everything from packaging to food waste.

Their approach has been commended. Wise Boys was a finalist in the 2018 Sustainable Business Network Awards, and in 2020 Luke was named one of Forbes 30 under 30 in the Asia-Pacific (Tim was over 30 by this time). Their products have won medals in awards, including the Outstanding Food Producers Awards and the NZ Artisan awards.

The ups and downs of entrepreneurship keep the pair humble. They first opened at Commercial Bay in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic. Luke says “It was a challenging time to be opening a restaurant, but it did challenge us to think hard about our business strategy and inspired us to push ahead with the manufacturing side of the business for supermarkets. We’re constantly assessing and re-assessing what we want the business to be, where the opportunities lie, and tricky conditions can present a number of new and unexpected openings.” The business has recently doubled down on the manufacturing front, building a purpose-built factory in West Auckland and deciding to franchise out the burger stores. They’ve sold one of their two existing stores and are looking to sell the other to finance an expansion of the franchise in Auckland and around the country.

Luke says that his advice to people considering starting a business is to examine their motivations and what they are prepared to sacrifice to reach their goals. “Running any business is a challenge, and a self-funded one especially. If Wise Boys was just about making money, I don’t think we’d have stuck with this for coming up a decade! We really care about what we’re doing, and it’s satisfying to build a team and a business to be proud of. Being a purpose-driven organisation has helped us convince some incredible people to come on the journey, and being able to work alongside likeminded people has been one of the most rewarding aspects for sure.”

Wise Boys are now placed to expand across the country and beyond, so watch this space!