Midlands burger and street food business Hangry Moose has come under the leadership of local entrepreneurs Darren Smith and Alex Moran, who intend to extend the brand beyond its current restaurant locations through new sites and partnerships with pubs and retailers. The change follows the departure of fellow partner Dave Barnicoat. Financial terms have not been disclosed.
The business currently operates in Bromsgrove and Worcester and has built its menu around handmade burgers, sides, loaded fries, and other street food. Its new owners want to add locations while expanding the places where customers can buy its products. They have also identified menu development and operational processes as areas for investment.
Smith is chief executive of Bromsgrove-based outdoor advertising company Elonex Outdoor Media. Moran founded and leads Roost, a healthcare technology and services business with operations in the United States and the UK. Both are involved in another Bromsgrove commercial venture: the local consortium that acquired a controlling stake in Bromsgrove Sporting Football Club in April 2026.
The five-member football club consortium includes Smith and Moran alongside Elliott Nash, Adam Hutchison, and Darren Alderson. As part of its plans for the club, it proposed establishing a permanent Hangry Moose food outlet at the Victoria Ground, in addition to wider work to make the venue more active outside matchdays.
That relationship illustrates one route through which the restaurant brand can operate beyond a conventional high-street premises. Partnerships with pubs or other retail outlets could give Hangry Moose access to existing customer footfall and premises, depending on the terms agreed with each operator. The new owners have not specified a fixed number of additional venues or a completion timetable.
Smith said the business would concentrate on innovation, product development, and improving operating processes. Moran said discussions were already taking place with pubs and retail outlets about potential partnerships across the Midlands. Those discussions are proposals for expansion, rather than confirmed openings at each prospective location.
The company’s established menu includes a range of beef burgers and vegetarian options, with loaded fries and breakfast offerings at certain sites. Extending the brand to more venues would involve decisions about which products travel well between settings, how food is prepared and supplied, and the responsibilities of any operating partners. The plans to broaden the menu suggest this work will accompany the search for additional sales locations.
Hangry Moose already has a customer-facing business in two Midlands towns, giving the new owners an operating platform rather than a concept that has yet to open. Its links with the football club add a local leisure setting alongside its restaurants, while talks with pubs and retailers could establish a different form of distribution.
The immediate position is an ownership and leadership change accompanied by a stated expansion strategy. Existing outlets will continue trading as Smith and Moran explore opportunities to add sites, refine operations, and reach customers through commercial partners across the region.
You must be logged in to post a comment.