What started as a humble hamburger brand in the 1960s has since evolved into a restaurant conglomerate with over 20 brands, including household names such as Steers, Wimpy, and Mugg & Bean.

Steers was started in the 1960s by George Halamandres, who had a vision to create a successful family-run business.

While on holiday in the United States, Halamandres encountered innovative food industry concepts, which inspired his idea to start the brand that has now become a household name in South Africa.

By 1961, Halamandres had opened the Steers forerunner, The Golden Spur, in Rosebank, Johannesburg. 

Over time, the brand’s name evolved, going from The Golden Spur to Seven Steer, then Branded Steer and Longhorn Steer, and, finally, Steers.

In the early 1980s, Steers opened a location in Sandton City, which attracted interest from would-be franchise partners.

At this point, the Halamandres family business consisted only of the Steers brand, but the interest from franchisees encouraged them to launch a franchise programme in 1983.

This programme would end up taking the company to new heights, with Steers Holdings listing on the JSE in 1994 with an initial public offer price of R1.

By the end of the 1990s, Steers had also started expanding beyond South Africa, and the company had added two new brands to its staple – Debonairs Pizza and Fishaways.

A few years later, in the early 2000s, Wimpy was also added into the fold, and what started as a single hamburger brand had become a fast-food conglomerate.

It was at this point, in 2004, that Steers Holdings was renamed Famous Brands, and in the years that followed, the company continued to add more and more brands to its stable.

Today, Steers is one of the most successful quick-service restaurant brands in South Africa and a household name. 

Famous Brands has grown to become Africa’s leading branded food services franchisor, with over 20 brands in its portfolio and more than 3,000 stores across the world.

Famous Brands’ portfolio

Here are some of Famous Brands most well-known brands that form part of its extensive portfolio –

• Steers – The original hamburger brand that started it all, Steers is known for its legendary 100% pure flame-grilled burgers. This brand has 714 restaurants spread across 12 markets.
• Debonairs Pizza – Known for being the first African pizza brand to launch online and mobile ordering, Debonairs was founded by two university students in 1991. This brand has 841 restaurants in 16 markets.
• Fishaways – Unlike many of its other brands, Fishaways was not acquired by Famous Brands but rather launched by the company in 1998. Promising affordable, fresh and nutritious seafood-based meals, this brand has 248 restaurants in two markets.
• Mugg & Bean – Known for its bottomless coffee and giant muffins, Mugg & Bean was founded in 1996, inspired by a coffee shop in Chicago in the United States. The brand boasts 286 restaurants across nine markets.
• Wimpy – Another household name, Wimpy was started as early as the 1930s in the United States. Known for its burgers and breakfasts, Wimpy is a South African road trip and family-friendly staple, with 544 locations across six markets.
• Milky Lane – Also launched by Famous Brands founder George Halamandres, Milky Lane is South Africa’s original soft-serve quick service and casual dining ice cream concept. Founded in 1958, it has since grown to 111 restaurants in four markets.
• PAUL – Famous Brands’ oldest brand was founded in 1889 in France and has since grown to become an internationally renowned fifth-generation family-owned artisanal bakery-café chain. Famous Brands holds the licence agreement for PAUL in South Africa.
• Mythos – A contemporary Greek restaurant, Mythos blends traditional spirit with modern cuisine, aiming to deliver an authentic dining experience. 
• Turn ‘n Tender – Founded in 1977 by four brothers with a love for steak, Turn ‘n Tender is a traditional South African steakhouse.

The image below shows all of the brands in Famous Brands’ portfolio, which consists of a combination of restaurants, cafes, and food and beverage brands.

Steers through the years