If you are a lover of Mexican food, you will have no doubt tried the fabulous menu that is synonymous with the name Mad Mex! Fully Australian owned, Mad Mex has over 60 restaurants around Australia that are a mix of company and franchise owned. Founded in 2007, Mad Mex has stamped its mark in Australia as the Mexican food chain with the raving fans of its award winning Mexican food, but also as a business that goes above and beyond for staff and franchise owners.
So why is Mad Mex so loved by Mexican foodies and also by the franchise owners and the phenomenal Mad Mex ‘team behind the scenes’? It’s simple really, the founder of this brilliant chain, Clovis Young and his amazing COO, Therese Frangie, know what it takes to make the dream work and take their commitment to delivering the best Mexican experience very seriously.
So, who are these exceptional people who influence one of the best brands ever to come out of Australia?
The ‘Visionary’
Clovis Young – Founder of Mad Mex
Clovis started Mad Mex 16 years ago with a dream to change the face of Mexican food in Australia. He set out to prove that Mexican could be both fast, delicious, and good for you, by bringing authentic Mexican ingredients and the freshest produce together to deliver big flavours and genuine good for you dishes. Historically, Mexican food in Australia was greasy plates of nachos with ice cream scoops of sour cream and greasy mincemeat, which was No Bueno. Over the years, this healthy fast food philosophy evolved into the Mad Mex tag line ‘Fresh Fuel for Life’, which is more than a marketing line, it’s a way of life for the Mad Mex chain.
Clovis told us these key facts, “I started Mad Mex 16 years ago with a dream to change the face of Mexican food in Australia. We wanted to prove that Mexican cuisine could be both fast, delicious, and good for you. Our commitment to bringing authentic Mexican ingredients and the freshest produce together has allowed us to deliver big flavors and genuine healthy dishes. Mad Mex is not just a business; it’s a way of life. We are dedicated to building a culture of challenge and excellence, where values and personal development are at the core. I am proud to have an amazing team, led by our exceptional COO, Therese Frangie, who brings our vision to life and has played a significant role in our success.”
As the founder, Clovis knows a great team is key to the success of any brand and is committed to building a business where values and personal development are the basis for a culture of challenge and excellence. Mad Mex boasts a comprehensive leadership development program and works with coaches and mentors to help all Mad Mex franchisees and employees achieve their personal and professional goals. And Clovis is quick to admit it takes an amazing team to deliver on this vision, and none play a bigger role than Therese Frangie, who is the ‘Integrator’ bringing the vision to life and who has led the business to double its profitability.
The ‘Integrator’
Therese Frangie – COO of Mad Mex
Therese is one of a kind. Her passion is contagious. She joined the Mad Mex team 6 years ago, bringing with her over 2 decades of experience and knowledge from the Quick Service Restaurant industry.
Therese is known for her exceptional leadership skills and adored by her staff, who thrive on the ‘la familia’ culture she has built around excellence, efficiency and a true love for what they do. Therese understands the importance of work-life balance, and how a lack of support and frequent communication can be a destroyer of office culture. Whilst she has a relentless people-first focus Therese says, “This is a dual priority with results, and business leaders need to nurture both people and profit at once. Happy people not only make other people happier, they also attract and magnetise growth and profit. I am lucky to be supported by a great leadership team that share this perspective.”
Therese’s ability to lead and show by example is one of her greatest assets, and her exploratory team building skills is just one of the reasons why she just placed #3 in the Franchise Business Top Executives Awards.
Award Winning Franchise!
Mad Mex franchisees have played a huge role in the growth of the group and their love for Mad Mex was evident when the company was awarded the ‘No.1 Franchise in Australia’ at the Top Franchise Awards last year. Mad Mex placed in the top 3 for six categories, the most placements of any franchise.
What is next for Mad Mex?
The goals of this successful chain are in no way small! By 2026, Mad Mex aims to have 100 stores across Australia and they are well on their way to achieving this goal.
Stay tuned for more great things to come from Mad Mex over the coming weeks as we look further into the staff culture and working environment at the Mad Mex Headquarters in Sydney.
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