RocoMamas is majority-owned by Spur Corporation Limited (JSE: SUR), a publicly traded South African restaurant company headquartered in Cape Town. Spur Corporation acquired a 51% stake in March 2015 from founder Brian Altriche, who retained a minority stake. RocoMamas is not owned by Famous Brands Limited, which is a separate JSE-listed company that owns Steers, Wimpy, and Debonairs Pizza.

Who founded RocoMamas?

RocoMamas was founded in July 2013 by Brian Altriche, a South African entrepreneur and former Spur Steak Ranches franchisee. Altriche opened the first RocoMamas in Randburg, Johannesburg. He had previously lived in Los Angeles in the late 1980s and early 1990s, where he worked in brand development. Spur Corporation acquired a 51% stake in March 2015.

Is RocoMamas publicly traded?

RocoMamas is not publicly traded as a separate entity. Its majority owner, Spur Corporation Limited, trades on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange under the ticker SUR. Investors seeking exposure to RocoMamas must buy shares in Spur Corporation, whose portfolio also includes Spur Steak Ranches, Panarottis, John Dory's, The Hussar Grill, and Doppio Zero.

How many RocoMamas restaurants are there?

As of December 2025, there are 117 RocoMamas restaurants: 93 in South Africa and 24 internationally. International locations include Australia, Botswana, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Eswatini, Ghana, India, Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Spur Corporation plans to open 42 new restaurants in South Africa and 14 internationally during fiscal year 2026.

What is RocoMamas known for?

RocoMamas is known for hand-made smash-style burgers, ribs, and chicken wings prepared fresh on site. The signature smash burger uses fresh mince pressed onto a hot grill to create a crispy, caramelized crust. The brand also offers a curated craft beer selection featuring South African and international breweries. Its "Not Normal" brand positioning, rock-and-roll decor, and open-style kitchen differentiate it from traditional fast food chains.

Food Service & Restaurants

Who Owns RocoMamas?

RocoMamas is owned by Spur Corporation Limited (JSE: SUR), a publicly traded South African restaurant company headquartered in Cape Town. Spur Corporation acquired a 51% majority stake in March 2015. RocoMamas was founded in July 2013 by Brian Altriche in Johannesburg. The brand operates 117 restaurants across 14 countries as of December 2025 and accounts for approximately 9% of Spur Corporation's South African restaurant sales.

Parent Company

Spur Corporation Limited

Acquired

2015

Status

Publicly Traded

Headquarters

Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa

RocoMamas Timeline

1967

Spur Corporation Limited

Parent company established in Cape Town, South Africa

Company Founded

2013

RocoMamas

Founded by Brian Altriche

Founded

2015

Acquired by Spur Corporation Limited

Spur Corporation Limited acquired RocoMamas

Acquired

mid rangemass marketRegionalOfficial Website

Who Owns RocoMamas?

Parent Company: Spur Corporation Limited
Ownership Type: Subsidiary
Acquisition Year: 2015
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock Ticker: JSE: SUR

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
RocoMamas	Spur Corporation Limited	Subsidiary

History of RocoMamas

Founded: 2013
Founders: Brian Altriche
Acquired by Spur Corporation Limited: 2015

Brian Altriche founded RocoMamas in July 2013. Altriche was already a Spur Steak Ranches franchisee with three locations when he identified a gap in the South African market for a premium burger concept. He had lived in Los Angeles during the late 1980s and early 1990s, where he worked in brand development. That experience informed the RocoMamas concept: hand-made smash-style burgers, ribs, and chicken wings, prepared fresh on site.

The first RocoMamas opened in Randburg, Johannesburg. Altriche expanded to four more locations in Rivonia, Fourways, Randpark Ridge, and Melrose within 18 months. The brand's "Not Normal" positioning, rock-and-roll decor, and open-style kitchen differentiated it from both traditional fast food chains and formal sit-down restaurants.

Spur Corporation announced its intention to acquire a 51% stake in RocoMamas in January 2015. The transaction closed in March 2015. At the time, RocoMamas had four restaurants in the greater Johannesburg area with three more in the pipeline. The acquisition gave Spur Corporation exposure to the fast-casual burger segment, which was growing rapidly in South Africa.

Under Spur Corporation's ownership, RocoMamas expanded from 4 restaurants to 112 by June 2025 and 117 by December 2025. The brand expanded internationally into Namibia, Mauritius, Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, India, Kenya, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Australia. International restaurant sales grew 14.0% in the first half of fiscal year 2026, with RocoMamas representing approximately 25% of Spur Corporation's international restaurant sales.

RocoMamas' South African restaurant sales reached R979.2 million in fiscal year 2025 (ended June 2025), up 5.0% from R932.8 million in fiscal year 2024. In the first half of fiscal year 2026 (July to December 2025), South African sales were R545.8 million, up 4.9% year-over-year. The brand's growth rate has moderated compared to its early expansion years, reflecting a larger base and a challenging South African consumer environment.

Spur Corporation has emphasized its Virtual Kitchen (VK) brands as a growth channel. RocoFellas, a RocoMamas-derived VK brand, ranks among the top three performing virtual kitchen brands in the group. Off-premise sales represent 12% of total South African restaurant sales, with 49% of those being collect orders and the remainder delivered through third-party aggregators.

About Spur Corporation Limited

What does Spur Corporation own?
Spur Corporation owns 10 restaurant brands: Spur Steak Ranches, Panarottis Pizza Pasta, RocoMamas, John Dory's Fish Grill Sushi, The Hussar Grill, Casa Bella, Nikos Coalgrill Greek, Doppio Zero, Piza e Vino, and Modern Tailors. The group also operates seven virtual kitchen brands. All brands are franchise-based, with 753 outlets across 14 countries.

Is Spur Corporation publicly traded?
Yes, Spur Corporation Limited is publicly traded on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol SUR. The company has been listed since 1986.

Who founded Spur Corporation?
Allen Ambor founded Spur Corporation in 1967 when he opened the Golden Spur restaurant in Newlands, Cape Town. Ambor was 22 years old at the time. He led the company for 51 years until his retirement in March 2019.

Where is Spur Corporation headquartered?
Spur Corporation is headquartered in Cape Town, South Africa.

How many restaurants does Spur Corporation operate?
Spur Corporation operates 753 restaurants across 14 countries as of December 31, 2025. This includes 640 restaurants in South Africa and 113 internationally.

What is Spur Corporation's revenue?
For fiscal year 2025 (ended June 30, 2025), Spur Corporation reported group revenue of R3.86 billion, up 11.2% from FY2024. Profit before tax was R401.7 million. Franchised restaurant sales totaled R11.5 billion.

Founded: 1967
Headquarters: Cape Town, South Africa
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock: JSE: SUR
Revenue: R3.9 billion (FY2025, ended June 30, 2025)
Employees: approximately 2,000 (head office and franchise support)

Visit Spur Corporation Limited website

View full company profile for Spur Corporation Limited

Where Is RocoMamas Made / Based?

Headquarters: Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
Manufacturing / Operations: South Africa

RocoMamas Categories & Tags

Smash Burgers Craft Beer Casual Dining South Africa Franchise

RocoMamas Recalls & Controversies

RocoMamas has not been subject to any major food safety recalls or regulatory actions as of August 2026. The brand faces ongoing operational challenges typical of the South African restaurant industry.

Load Shedding Impact: South Africa's persistent power outages create operational challenges for restaurants, including equipment downtime, food safety risks, and increased costs for backup power solutions. RocoMamas restaurants must invest in alternative power sources to maintain operations during outages.

Consumer Spending Pressure: South Africa's high unemployment rate and inflation have constrained discretionary spending on casual dining. RocoMamas' mid-range pricing positions it above value-focused fast food chains, making it vulnerable to consumer downtrading during economic downturns.

Franchise Quality Consistency: The franchise model enables rapid expansion but creates variability in restaurant quality and service standards. Individual franchisees have different operational capabilities, which can lead to inconsistent customer experiences across the network.

RocoMamas Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Spur Corporation's franchise infrastructure, supply chain, and corporate support have enabled RocoMamas to grow from 4 restaurants in 2015 to 117 by December 2025, a pace that would have been difficult to achieve as an independent brand
+The smash burger concept differentiates RocoMamas from both traditional fast food chains and formal sit-down restaurants, supporting mid-range pricing and customer loyalty in a competitive burger market
+RocoMamas represents approximately 25% of Spur Corporation's international restaurant sales, giving the group meaningful exposure to markets outside South Africa including Australia, India, and several African countries
+The Virtual Kitchen brand RocoFellas extends RocoMamas' reach into the delivery channel without requiring additional physical restaurant locations, leveraging existing kitchen capacity
+Spur Corporation's manufacturing and distribution division provides RocoMamas with centralized supply chain capabilities, reducing costs and ensuring product consistency across the franchise network

Considerations

-South Africa's economic environment, including high unemployment, load shedding, and inflation, creates headwinds for mid-range casual dining as consumers trade down to cheaper fast food options
-RocoMamas' growth rate has moderated to approximately 5% in fiscal year 2025 and 4.9% in H1 fiscal year 2026, reflecting a larger base and competitive pressure in the burger segment
-The franchise model creates variability in restaurant quality and service standards across the network, as individual franchisees have different operational capabilities
-Competition from Steers, Burger King, and independent gourmet burger restaurants creates sustained pressure on customer acquisition and retention in the South African market
-RocoMamas' international presence is concentrated in markets with lower per-capita spending power than South Africa, limiting average revenue per restaurant in some regions

Frequently Asked Questions About RocoMamas

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to RocoMamas

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
Casa BellaSister Brand	Spur Corporation	South Africa	2016	Premium	Regional	All-ages
PanarottisSister Brand	Spur Corporation	South Africa	1990	Mainstream	South africa	All-ages
Spur Steak RanchesSister Brand	Spur Corporation	South Africa	1967	Mass market	South africa	All Genders
Yard House	Darden Restaurants	USA	1996	Mass market	United states	All Genders