Brick-Mortar-Cloud Podcast
Season 2 Episode 12:
GYG's Fast-Food Revolution with Josh Bell
Josh Bell didn’t start his career in the kitchen. Growing up in Brisbane, Australia, he began in banking before making a sharp pivot into the F&B industry. What followed wasn’t a straight path, he joined Guzman y Gomez and learned the business from the ground up, starting on the grill before earning the opportunity to take the brand into new markets.
In this conversation, Josh shares how he helped grow Guzman y Gomez in Singapore over the past decade, from early expansion challenges to building a strong presence in one of the most competitive F&B markets. He talks about what it really takes to scale a fast casual brand, why product quality can’t be compromised, and how localisation plays a key role in winning over new customers. From viral menu items like butter chicken to lessons from launching in the heartlands too early, this is a candid look at the realities behind growth.
Below is the full transcript of our conversation. If you’re an F&B founder, operator, or anyone thinking about scaling a consumer brand, this is a story worth digging into.
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🎙️ Brick Mortar Cloud Podcast with Josh Bell (Partner, Guzman y Gomez Singapore)
Host:
Welcome to the Brick Mortar Cloud podcast, where we share scaling stories of F&B and retail businesses. This podcast is brought to you by StaffAny. Today, I’m super excited to have with me Josh Bell from Guzman y Gomez. Welcome to the show.
Josh:
Hi man. Thanks for having me. This is awesome.
Host:
Could you share a bit more about your background and how you got started?
Josh:
Yeah, I grew up in Brisbane, Australia. I went to school and university there, and spent about five years working in banking at UBS. Eventually, I made the move into F&B and joined Guzman y Gomez.
The founder, Steven Marks, told me that if I wanted to grow the brand, I had to start on the grill first. So I did that, learned the business from the ground up, and eventually had the opportunity to launch the brand in Singapore in 2013.
Host:
You’ve now grown the brand significantly in Singapore. What’s been key to that growth?
Josh:
I think a big part of it is staying true to product quality. We’ve always believed in using restaurant-quality ingredients, even though we operate in a fast casual format.
It’s very tempting to cut corners over time to reduce costs, but customers notice. Even if they don’t consciously realise it, they feel it, and they stop coming back.
Host:
You’ve also experimented quite a bit with localisation. Can you share more about that?
Josh:
Yeah, that was something the team pushed for. Initially, I thought people would just want authentic Mexican food. But the team challenged that and suggested we lean into local flavours.
We tested items like rendang and butter chicken, and they performed really well. It helped customers ease into the brand. They try something familiar first, then explore more of the menu.
Host:
Any example of something that worked particularly well?
Josh:
Butter chicken was a big one. We kept refining the recipe until it really worked, and then launched it in different formats like nacho fries. It became one of our most successful items.
Host:
On the flip side, any mistakes or lessons learned?
Josh:
Plenty. One example was expanding into the heartlands too early. We opened a location that struggled for a long time because we hadn’t fully understood pricing or customer behaviour in that area yet.
But eventually, we introduced a $3 taco, which became an entry product and brought new customers in. It completely changed performance.
Host:
That’s interesting. So product strategy plays a big role in turning things around?
Josh:
100%. I think for any operator, the product has to be strong first. If the product isn’t right, no amount of technology or marketing will save you.
Once the product works, then you can use systems and technology to scale it properly.
Host:
Speaking of technology, how do you think about it in your business?
Josh:
Technology is essential, but we don’t try to build everything ourselves. We focus on finding the right partners.
Our goal is to empower restaurant managers to make small decisions that have big impact. Like a fighter pilot, small movements, but big outcomes.
Host:
That’s a great analogy. Any final advice for operators?
Josh:
Focus on your product. Keep refining it. Cut what doesn’t work, double down on what does.
And don’t compromise on quality. In the long run, quality always wins.
Josh Bell is a partner and operator behind Guzman y Gomez Singapore, where he has spent over a decade growing the brand into one of the leading fast casual concepts in the market. Originally from Brisbane, Australia, Josh began his career in banking before joining the business and learning the trade from the ground up.
Since launching Guzman y Gomez in Singapore in 2013, he has focused on building scalable operations while maintaining product quality, balancing the demands of fast service with restaurant-grade ingredients. Beyond Guzman y Gomez, he has also been involved in launching new concepts like Yo-Chi, working closely with global founders and local teams to bring high-growth brands into the market.