By Callum Ludwig
Branded Burgers and Bar in Seville is in the running for yet another award, having been nominated as a finalist for the Australian Women’s Small Business Champion Awards 2022.
This comes after they were deemed to have the best burger bar in Victoria and Tasmania at the 2022 VIC and TAS Australia Restaurant and Catering Hostplus Awards for Excellence and are awaiting the National results later this month.
Co-owners Gina Bradner and Amanda Pearse said they were really chuffed to be selected as a finalist.
“We’ve worked really hard, particularly through Covid and now after it. To come out the other side of it and have been acknowledged and recognized for the work that we’ve done is really nice,” Ms Braidner said.
“It’s nice to our team and it’s nice for the community. It’s their venue as much as it is ours.”
Branded Burgers and Bar opened in 2017 and has gone on to become a popular eatery in town and among the community, becoming a proud sponsor of the Seville Football Netball Club and with over 7400 Facebook followers.
Ms Braidner said Amanda came in as per partner in crime early on and it took a little while for them to figure it all out but now it’s a very well-balanced business.
“Amanda’s and I’s strengths are totally opposite to each other, and that’s really helped balance our decisions. We’d love to encourage other women to put their best foot forward and to strike out and give it a go because anything’s possible if you have an idea, a dream and support around you,” she said.
“Believe in yourself and believe in your product,” said Ms Pearse.
Branded has also worked with Holy Fools, Soupies, the Victorian Brotherhood, the Pony Club, local primary schools and kindergartens and even hosted Santa when he lost his place at Chirnside Park a few years ago.
Ms Braidner said aspiring business owners just need to reach out to people that they consider to be successful in business and have a chat and hear some stories and experiences.
“It’s really important to identify a need in the area. If you’re just coming along and start making burgers somewhere because someone is doing really well, it won’t work because there’s no need for it,” she said.
“We’ve really opened the door to support the community and in a variety of different things and so the door’s always open for them to come to us and as a result, they really support us as well.”
Coming up, Branded is set to release its ‘Gypsy’ burger for October’s Rett Syndrome Awareness Month, in honour of local girl Gypsy Lawrence who suffers from the rare genetic mutation. All proceeds from the sale of the burger will be donated to the Rett Syndrome Association of Australia.
They also have a Comedy Night coming up on Friday 11 November featuring Richard Stubbs, Matt O’Neil, Billy Stiles and Jarryd Goundrey that will go from 7.30pm to 11pm.
