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Noodle House launches new branches in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait

February 25, 2010 By Pooja Kulkarni

The Taste Department, the dedicated branded restaurant division within the Jumeirah Group tasked to set up and license innovative and successful casual dining restaurant concepts to partners worldwide, has announced new licensing agreements to open the Noodle House restaurant branches in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Signing ceremony for the noodle house management agreement in Saudi Arabia, attended by (L to R) Mr. Guy Crawford, Jumeirah Group’s Chief Executive Officer; Steven Grey, The Taste Department’s General Manager and Chief Taster; Mr Mazen Almugbel, General Manager for Mira Foods and Mr. Gerald Lawless, Executive Chairman of Jumeirah Group.

This announcement comes shortly after the signing of the Noodle House management agreements in Lebanon, Egypt and Cyprus, making a total of 11 countries, globally.

The licensing agreement with Mira Foods will allow for seven outlets to be opened in Saudi Arabia; the first outlet is scheduled to open mid-2009 and will be located at Centria Mall, Riyadh. Similarly, the agreement with Al-Ghunaim Trading Co. Ltd will see up to six outlets opening in Kuwait, with the first outlet scheduled to open June 2009.

An award-winning concept already popular in Dubai, the Noodle House is an energetic dining option with a menu and ambience inspired by the food and nightlife of exciting South East Asian cities such as Hong Kong, Shanghai, Bangkok and Jakarta. The fusion of wholesome food and a vibrant atmosphere makes the Noodle House restaurants the perfect choice for a warm and engaging meal. Diners can relax and watch as chefs prepare their aromatic dishes over an open flame in full view of the guests, serving up delicious dishes within minutes.

Steven Grey, the Taste Department’s General Manager & Chief Taster, attributes the growing success of the Noodle House to the dual appeal it holds for customers and investors alike: “customers are looking for dining options that present quality ingredients, high flavoured and innovative menus , timely service and a great atmosphere. Equally, now more than ever investors are looking for safe ventures with trusted brands and experienced partners who can manage and deliver a solid return on their investment.”

Abdulghani K. Al-Ghunaim, Chairman and Chief Executive Office of Al Ghunaim Trading Co. LTD, said: “We are very proud to acquire the franchise for the Noodle House in the State of Kuwait. The Noodle House will be a big addition to our growing company as well as introducing a new concept, South East Asian cuisine to the market. I am sure the launch of the Noodle House will be a success in the Kuwaiti market.”

Mazen Almugbel, General Manager for Mira Foods affirmed the sentiment: “We are certain that the Noodle House is on the right track to become a leading international chain and our commitment towards the Noodle House is to introduce it as a benchmark in the Saudi market.”

Filed Under: Fast Food, Franchise, Franchise Business, Restaurant

California Pizza Kitchen arrives in Dubai

February 25, 2010 By Pooja Kulkarni

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK), renowned international premium casual dining chain and home of the original BBQ Chicken Pizza, opened in Dubai Mall this week, introducing its astounding array of signature Californian cuisine and innovative hearth-baked pizzas to the Middle East for the first time.

California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) – Dubai Mall branch.

Known and loved by pizza connoisseurs across America and Asia, CPK’s extensive and incredibly creative menu combines inspirational flavours from across the globe, resulting in some very tasty and original dishes. From trademark hearth-baked pizzas, made-to-order pastas, dazzling salads and appetizers as well as soups, sandwiches and desserts, CPK’s open-exhibition kitchen creates a fascinating show for diners, as the chefs flip dough and whip up freshly prepared fusion dishes throughout the day.

Commenting on the opening and latest addition to the group portfolio, Sami Daud, Managing Director & CEO, of Gourmet Gulf Company, said:

“As the food and beverage industry surges ahead in the Middle East, casual dining is emerging as the leading category in the restaurant market, giving rise to premium international franchises such as CPK, that cater to a wide range of tastes with a focus on quality ingredients and family dining options. CPK has fantastic potential here as the distinctive menu is a great fit for this market and perfectly complements our existing collection of quality restaurant concepts.”

The menu at CPK features a wide variety of inventive items including everything from the Avocado Club Eggrolls and Thai Chicken Pizza to Kung Pao Spaghetti and the popular BBQ Chicken Chopped Salad. Children who dine at CPK can also choose from an extensive and exciting menu, including kiddie meals. Using only the highest quality fresh produce and U.S. imported ingredients prepared daily, all CPK pizzas are hearth-baked in an open-flame pizza oven.

Antonio Bautista, President of Gourmet Gulf Company believes the franchise will be a hit with Dubai diners, stating, “CPK has all the ingredients to capture a significant share of the premium casual dining market in the Middle East. The robust operational model combined with a wide and varied menu, specifically designed to attract repeat guests and foster brand loyalty, dictates a high growth potential which we are confident will be realized in quick succession.”

Located along the picturesque Waterfront Promenade on the lower ground floor of Dubai Mall, CPK comfortably seats 200 people within its tasteful indoor dining room and beautifully appointed alfresco seating area with views over the Burj Dubai Lake.

Filed Under: Fast Food, Franchise, Franchise Business, Health, Restaurant

Franchise Arabia will provide a knowledge exchange for region's franchise related business leaders

February 25, 2010 By Pooja Kulkarni

The inaugural Franchise Arabia Conference and Exhibition will be held at ADNEC in capital city Abu Dhabi, on the 4th – 6th October, 2009.

“The region’s key investors and business operators have long recognised the benefits of the franchise business model, in fact the regions extraordinary and accelerated development may not have been achieved without the establishment of franchise relationships,” says Tracey Furey, Franchise Arabia’s Conference Director.

Franchise in its various forms touches every aspect of our daily existence; the coffee we buy on the way to work, our children’s education, and development, where we dine-out, how we use our leisure time and the way we spend our disposable income, are just a few examples of its impact.

Perhaps it’s most visible influence has been on the general retail, food, and beverage offering. Furey continues; “Take a look at any one of the region’s premier malls and you will find that more than 90% of the outlets are international franchise concepts.”

In this sector, there is a cluster of major players including the M.H. Al Shaya Company; the Azadea Group; and the Jawad Business Group, amongst others, who between them manage hundreds of franchises and thousands of outlets, and there are smaller operators too managing innovative and exciting retail concepts.

However, the regions’ franchise footprint is not solely retail driven. Furey says, “It is important that we do not underestimate the impact of franchise on the region’s broader business sectors. The hospitality sector, training and education, media and publications and health and wellbeing, are also sectors which are imbued with franchise relationships.”

The region makes for a fascinating case study, Furey continues, “We have seen examples where concept sales performance, the number of units or market share value, is greater regionally than the international home market. Combine this with the pressures on Principals for financing, we may see a rise in mergers and acquisitions and buy-outs of international Principal [Franchisors] by some of the region’s key players. On a regional level, we can certainly expect changes and perhaps a culling of some brands to make way for new and more innovative formats in a bid to stimulate customer interest.”

In today’s volatile marketplace we all need to hone our skills, think more carefully about our resources and manage both our business and consumer relationships vigilantly. The Franchise Arabia conference will provide the ideal knowledge exchange, intelligence gathering, and networking platform for those already involved in franchise related businesses, those thinking about getting involved in franchise or those wanting to know more about the opportunities the region presents.

The conference will feature some of the best-in-field international and regional business leaders and will debate areas such as brand management, legal , regulatory and IPR issues, franchise selection and acquisition, negotiation , re-negotiation and arbitration, franchise financial management, market entry strategies, case studies of international success stories and insight into the emerging brands that will be the success stories of tomorrow.

The three day conference programme will feature more than 30 speakers, over two streams and will be complemented by practical workshops for both existing and prospective Franchisees and Franchisors.

Dominic McGill, Chairman of Nexus Holdings & Associates Ltd, organiser of the Franchise Arabia Conference and Exhibition, says:

“We have been thrilled by the initial response to the event profile at both an international and regional level. There is no existing platform for franchise investors and senior executives to debate relevant and meaningful franchise related topics and to network with industry professionals. The Franchise Arabia formula has been carefully constructed and will set new benchmarks in the region’s franchise events calendar.”

The event will take place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre [ADNEC] Mc Gill says, “ADNEC provides truly world-class facilities and its positioning is perfectly aligned for the Franchise Arabia event. Abu Dhabi itself, a significant regional economic hub with excellent transport connections and a superb infrastructure is fast on the way to becoming the regions undisputed first choice MICE destination for both hosts and visitors.”

Filed Under: Franchise, Franchise Business
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