Who Owns Red Rooster in Australia? Ownership, History & Franchise Structure

If you have searched “who owns Red Rooster?”, the short answer is: Red Rooster is part of Craveable Brands, which is owned by PAG, an Asia-based private equity firm. Red Rooster itself operates as a national franchise network, so individual restaurants are generally owned and operated by local franchisees rather than directly by the parent company.

Red Rooster is one of Australia’s longest-running fast-food brands. It began in Western Australia in the early 1970s and has gone through several ownership changes before becoming part of the Craveable Brands group.

Who Owns Red Rooster in 2026?

The current ownership structure can be understood in three levels:

Level	Company / Owner	Role
Brand	Red Rooster	Australian chicken fast-food brand
Parent company	Craveable Brands	Owns and manages the Red Rooster brand and franchise network
Ultimate ownership	PAG	Private equity owner of Craveable Brands

Craveable Brands identifies itself as the parent company of Red Rooster, along with Oporto, Chicken Treat and Chargrill Charlie’s. Government records also describe Craveable Brands as the parent company of these brands.

Craveable Brands is owned by PAG, an Asia-based private equity firm. Craveable’s own company information states that it is owned by PAG.

Is Red Rooster Australian-Owned?

This question needs a little clarification.

Red Rooster is an Australian-founded and Australian-based brand, but its parent company is owned by PAG. The brand began in Western Australia and remains part of Australia’s quick-service restaurant industry.

So, saying simply that Red Rooster is “Australian-owned” can be misleading when discussing its current ultimate ownership. The more accurate description is that Red Rooster is an Australian brand operated through Craveable Brands, whose ownership sits with PAG.

Who Founded Red Rooster?

Red Rooster was founded in Western Australia in 1972 by Peter Kailis and his family. The first restaurant opened in Kelmscott, a suburb of Perth.

The original business was built around roast chicken and developed into a recognizable Australian fast-food chain.

According to historical accounts, Peter Kailis came from a family with a long history in Western Australian business. The original Red Rooster business expanded from its early Western Australian locations before eventually changing ownership.

Red Rooster Ownership History

Red Rooster has had several owners over the decades, so its ownership history can be confusing.

1972: Red Rooster Begins in Western Australia

The first Red Rooster restaurant opened in Kelmscott, Western Australia, in 1972. The brand initially operated as a family business associated with Peter Kailis.

1980s: Myer and Coles Myer

The business was later acquired by Myer. During the 1980s, the chain expanded further, including the integration of the Big Rooster business in Australia’s eastern states.

2002: Australian Fast Foods

In 2002, Australian Fast Foods (AFF) acquired Red Rooster from Coles Myer. Australian Fast Foods was also associated with other Australian chicken brands, including Chicken Treat.

2007: Quick Service Restaurant Holdings

In 2007, Australian Fast Foods was reorganized following a management buyout involving Quadrant Private Equity. The resulting company became Quick Service Restaurant Holdings (QSR).

2011: Archer Capital

In 2011, Archer Capital acquired QSR. The company continued operating the group that included Red Rooster, Chicken Treat and Oporto.

2017: QSR Becomes Craveable Brands

Quick Service Restaurant Holdings changed its name to Craveable Brands in 2017. This created the corporate structure associated with Red Rooster today.

2019: PAG Acquires Craveable Brands

In 2019, Archer Capital sold Craveable Brands to PAG Asia Capital in a deal reported at approximately A$450–500 million. PAG subsequently became the owner behind the Craveable Brands group.

Does Craveable Brands Own Every Red Rooster Restaurant?

No. This is an important distinction.

Red Rooster’s official website explains that the brand operates as a national network of franchises, with each restaurant being an individual small business owned and operated by a local franchisee.

That means there are two different questions:

• Who owns the Red Rooster brand? → Craveable Brands, ultimately owned by PAG.
• Who owns a particular Red Rooster restaurant? → Often a local franchisee.

This franchise structure means the company behind the brand and the owner of an individual restaurant are not necessarily the same entity.

How Does the Red Rooster Franchise Model Work?

Red Rooster operates primarily through franchising. Craveable Brands’ government filing states that the majority of its restaurant network is franchised and that only a small percentage of restaurants are operated directly by Craveable Brands.

A franchisee generally operates a specific restaurant under the Red Rooster brand while following the brand’s systems, standards and operating requirements.

This structure allows Red Rooster to maintain a national presence while having many individual restaurants run by local business owners.

How Many Red Rooster Restaurants Are There?

The number changes as restaurants open, close or change ownership.

A Craveable Brands statement reported 328 Red Rooster restaurants as of November 2024, alongside its other brands in the Craveable Brands network.

Red Rooster’s official website currently describes the business as a national franchise network.

Because the restaurant network changes over time, it is better to treat historical store counts as date-specific figures rather than a permanent total.

Who Is the CEO of Red Rooster?

Samantha Bragg became Red Rooster’s CEO in 2024. A 2025 profile discussing the brand’s development identified Bragg as the CEO and described her focus on continuing to modernize the brand while maintaining its established identity.

It is important to distinguish the CEO from the owner:

• Owner/parent structure: Craveable Brands → PAG
• Brand leadership: Red Rooster’s management team
• Restaurant ownership: Often individual franchisees

These are different roles.

What Company Owns Red Rooster, Oporto and Chicken Treat?

Craveable Brands is the parent company behind several Australian quick-service restaurant brands.

Brand	Relationship to Craveable Brands
Red Rooster	Craveable Brands brand
Oporto	Craveable Brands brand
Chicken Treat	Craveable Brands brand
Chargrill Charlie’s	Added to the group in 2023

Government records confirm that Craveable Brands is the parent company of Red Rooster, Oporto, Chicken Treat and Chargrill Charlie’s.

Is Red Rooster Owned by KFC?

No. Red Rooster and KFC are separate restaurant businesses.

Red Rooster is part of the Craveable Brands group, while KFC Australia operates under a different corporate structure. For example, Collins Foods operates KFC restaurants in Australia, but that does not make Collins Foods the owner of Red Rooster.

The two brands compete in Australia’s chicken fast-food market, but they do not share the same parent company.

Is Red Rooster Owned by McDonald’s?

No. Red Rooster is not owned by McDonald’s.

Red Rooster belongs to the Craveable Brands group, whose ultimate owner is PAG.

Red Rooster Ownership at a Glance

Question	Answer
Who owns Red Rooster?	Craveable Brands
Who owns Craveable Brands?	PAG
Where was Red Rooster founded?	Western Australia, Australia
When was Red Rooster founded?	1972
Who founded Red Rooster?	Peter Kailis and his family
Is Red Rooster a franchise?	Yes, it operates through a national franchise network
Does the parent company own every restaurant?	No, many locations are operated by local franchisees
Is Red Rooster owned by KFC?	No
Is Red Rooster owned by McDonald’s?	No
Who was CEO from 2024?	Samantha Bragg

Frequently Asked Questions

Who owns Red Rooster now?

Red Rooster is part of Craveable Brands, which is owned by PAG.

Is Red Rooster an Australian company?

Red Rooster is an Australian-founded fast-food brand that began in Western Australia in 1972. Its current parent company, Craveable Brands, is owned by PAG.

Who founded Red Rooster?

Red Rooster was founded by Peter Kailis and his family in Western Australia in 1972.

Does Craveable Brands own Red Rooster?

Yes. Craveable Brands is the parent company of Red Rooster.

Who owns individual Red Rooster stores?

Many individual Red Rooster restaurants are owned and operated by local franchisees. Red Rooster’s official website describes each restaurant as an individual small business within its national franchise network.

Is Red Rooster owned by a private equity company?

At the ultimate ownership level, yes. Craveable Brands states that it is owned by PAG, a private equity firm.

What other brands does Craveable Brands own?

Craveable Brands’ portfolio includes Red Rooster, Oporto, Chicken Treat and Chargrill Charlie’s.

Final Answer: Who Owns Red Rooster?

The simplest way to understand Red Rooster’s current ownership is:

Peter Kailis and his family → founded Red Rooster in 1972 → the brand changed hands several times → Red Rooster became part of Craveable Brands → PAG acquired Craveable Brands in 2019.

Today, Craveable Brands is the parent company of Red Rooster, and PAG is the ultimate owner of the parent company. Individual Red Rooster restaurants are generally operated by local franchisees, so the company owning the brand is not necessarily the same as the owner of your local Red Rooster store.