'Had to apply for loan to cover my expenses': Influencer owners of collapsed fast food chain leave workers unpaid and in limbo as they go AWOL
The popular potato food chain founded by former beauty queen Jess Davis and her Adelaide 36ers basketball husband Tyson Hoffman, has been caught in a media storm in recent months after going bust and owing thousands of dollars, while the couple holidayed at luxury destinations.
The entrepreneurial pair has been travelling around Australia on a food truck tour since March this year, but on July 4 the failing company came to a halt after it was ordered into liquidation.
Two days prior to the liquidation order, Mr Hoffman reached out to one of his stores and advised staff to seek new work as the restaurant would be shutting down, before he cut all forms of communication with the restaurant manager, who wishes to remain anonymous due to legal proceedings against Mr Potato.
In text messages seen exclusively by SkyNews.com.au, Mr Hoffman told the restaurant manager on June 21 the store "definitely" won't be shutting down after they raised concerns about unpaid wages, super and weeks of no stock from suppliers.
"I found out (April 2) that we were banned from our biggest supplier because of unpaid invoices, some stores have been buying 90 per cent of stock from Woollies, Coles, or IGA," the manager told SkyNews.com.au.
"Wages for the team was delayed and the restaurant has been on and off open, closing early or shutting down for days due to no stock to sell."
Further messages on WhatsApp shows Mr Hoffman reached out to the team on the night of June 26 when staff were expecting their fortnightly wages, and advised the restaurant would be shutting down for four days but wages should be processed and in their bank accounts by the next day (June 27).
As of Friday, staff members are yet to be paid more than two weeks of wages with many now forced to seek alternative methods to make up the lost income.
Multiple concerned team members addressed Mr Hoffman directly in the work group chat since June 26 enquiring about their wages, but their pleas were neglected for days.
"It's Monday, I have rent and bills due, can you please do our pay without ignoring us please?'' one message read.
"Please don't ignore us here and you need to keep your words - you said Friday even though we legally need the money in our bank account on Thursday, it's already Sunday!!!" another team member said.
"I really cannot wait anymore," another message read.
Five days later on July 1, Mr Hoffman responded to the team confirming the restaurant wouldn't be re-opening.
He also told the distressed staff that he did not 'yet have a clear timeline" on when wages and super would be paid out to the team.
"All of our other sites have either stopped trading or are still open but no longer paying us. It's been an incredibly challenging time, and despite doing everything we can behind the scenes, the path forward in uncertain," he wrote in a message.
After the announcement, the restaurant manager unloaded on Mr Hoffman in the WhatsApp group.
They accused him of failing to properly communicate with the team.
"You made us work for the last two weeks, making sales and now you're telling me we won't open again and there's no eta for our wages," the manager wrote.
"You told me last week that we are definitely not closing and things are changing.
"You knew these are coming and we would appreciate it more if you have communicated this way earlier."
Shortly after, the restaurant manager was removed from the group.
It has been more than a week since the Sydney team has not been paid their wages or super, and on Tuesday all staff members were advised by the Fair Works Ombudsman to lodge Fair Entitlements Guarantee (FEG) forms, which is a last resort for financial assistance for unpaid workers.
It has been alleged the Sydney team has never been paid their super in the duration of their career with Mr Potato.
It is understood the restaurant manager is also working with Fair Work to commence their own legal action against Mr Potato.
The team of 12 staff members are now required to look for new work in an already sticky job market as they anxiously scramble for money to pay rent and overdue bills.
The restaurant manager told SkyNews.com.au the shutdown and unpaid wages has been so difficult they have been forced to apply for a loan to cover expenses.
"I feel like I was (and the my entire team) deceived by Tyson who made us work, made sales until the end just to tell us we are not re-opening anymore," the restaurant manager said, adding this was not the first time the team has not been paid.
"He made me believe that we are not shutting down, broken his many promises that wages will be in our account and nothing was paid.
"To the last day, telling us no timeline for our wages and super. I'm beyond disappointed to the whole situation."
Mr Hoffman and Ms Davis have both been unreachable in recent days as a staff member tried contacting them about their wages multiple times.
Deloitte partners David Ian Mansfield and Philip Andrew Robinson have been appointed as Mr Potato's liquidators, as the company's future now hangs in limbo.
Several struggling chain franchisees have previously claimed they had been forced to sell their homes after facing bankruptcy due to the inability to make profits from the company.
Franchisees said they were sold a "dream" by the fresh-faced couple about the potential of the brand but the reality was far from the truth.
Ms Davis and Mr Hoffman have remained adamant they adhered to the Australian Franchise Code and had provided franchisees 'tools, operational framework, and ongoing support needed to operate their businesses successfully'.
Mr Potato's website has been down since shutting some of its restaurants.
Social media comments have also been turned off and both Mr Hoffman and his wife have made their Instagram accounts private.
The company's last two stores in Queensland closed in February, and the first ever store in Adelaide has also been shut down.
Ms Davis and Mr Hoffman have been contacted for comment.
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