Europe Россия Внешние малые острова США Китай Объединённые Арабские Эмираты Корея Индия

Brisbane's Getta Burger chain collapses with more than 100 workers losing their job on the spot and 11 stores closing

9 months ago 41

By Pranav Harish For Daily Mail Australia

Published: 02:55 GMT, 24 November 2023 | Updated: 02:55 GMT, 24 November 2023

A popular burger chain has collapsed forcing more than a dozen stores to close their doors while over 100 staff lost their jobs. 

Getta Burger closed 11 of its stores across south-east Queensland on Thursday after the company plunged into voluntary liquidation. 

It's understood 107 workers were made immediately redundant following the shocking collapse after six companies linked to the burger joint were forced to shut down. 

Popular burger chain Getta Burger has plunged into voluntary liquidation with 11 stores across south-east Queensland forced to close

The burger chain operated stores in several parts of the growing region, including in Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Ipswich and Logan. 

Liquidator Ian Currie, from insolvency firm BRI Ferrier, was appointed as liquidator as the stores closed on Thursday. 

Mr Currie told Daily Mail Australia that employees were informed on Thursday that they no longer have a job. 

'There were 11 trading stores that were closed yesterday and all the employees of those 11 stores had their employment terminated unfortunately,' he said. 

He said four other stores operated by the company have already gone bust and he has been appointed to oversee the liquidation of seven separate companies associated with the burger chain.   

Mr Currie said no other stores operated by the company across Australia have been affected at this time. 

He said his team is still figuring out how much debt the company owes, including in unpaid wages to employees. 

'There's a fair amount of tax outstanding and landlord liabilities,' Mr Currie said.

'Whether they (employees) get super remains to be seen... there's about 1.5 quarters of super outstanding.' 

Employees are set to lodge their entitlement claims through the Fair Employment Entitlement Guarantee Scheme to receive unpaid wages, annual leave, and superannuation. 

Most of the staff who have since been made redundant are understood to be casual. 

Staff are owed wages that are outstanding from Monday through to Thursday.  

Mr Currie said the operations of the stores have wound up and they are currently in negotiations to sell the land. 

'We're talking to a party who may be interested in acquiring the site...but that's very early days,' Mr Currie said. 

The company, headquartered at Bulimba in Brisbane's north-east, had been in business since 2012. 

The company's two stores in Townsville are understood to have been unaffected by the liquidation. 

The chain's website is still up and running however users are unable to search for store locations.  

The company's website is still up and running however users are unable to search for store locations

Two of the company's stores in Townsville are understood to be unaffected by the liquation

Daily Mail has contacted Getta Burger CEO Brent Poulter for comment. 

Mr Poulter, a Brisbane local, is also the director of the six companies affiliated with Getta Burger that have closed down and is also the director of the Townsville stores that are still trading. 

The company's Instagram page which boasts more than 22,000 followers has not been updated since the company went under. 

Several diners commented on the burger chain's most recent post asking about the store's liquidation while some expressed their sadness at the store's closure. 

'Why are all the Getta Burger joints in SEQ (south-east Queensland) say they are permanently closed? What happened?' one user asked. 

'Sad to see them close and staff lose [their] jobs,' another person posted. 

The latest dent in the company's operations marks a tough year for Mr Poulter at the helm of the company. 

He was forced to close down Low n Slow Meat Co, a smokehouse butcher shop in Morningside, in April after a legal stoush with the local council over a ban on the store trading its products at a butchery owned by multi-million dollar company. 

He has also previously closed another hospitality venue.  

The latest dent to the company marks a tough year for Getta Burger CEO Brent Poulter (pictured) who has been forced to close several companies affiliated with the burger chain

Read Entire Article