Fin24.com

2014-08-04 12:55:04 PM

Johannesburg – Famous Brands’ premium-end boutique lifestyle café brand, tashas, has commenced its global expansion programme with the launch of its maiden international restaurant in Jumeirah 1, in Dubai on Monday.
Tashas, the brainchild of Natasha Sideris, was founded in 2005 with a single restaurant in Atholl Square in Sandton.
In 2008, Famous Brands [JSE:FBR] acquired a 51% controlling stake in tashas and in acknowledgement of their indispensable role, retained the key management team led by Natasha and her brother, Savva Sideris, to ensure the brand retained its authenticity and achieved its full potential.
The brand has subsequently opened 11 restaurants around the country. In the group’s most recent annual report for the year ended February 2014, Kevin Hedderwick, CEO of Famous Brands said domestically, this brand consistently proves “that those consumers who have money to spend continue to do so’.
“Tashas delivered 20% like-on-like growth for the period. We anticipate a similarly positive response from the affluent consumers which the Dubai restaurant will serve,” he said.
Sideris said the Dubai restaurant is a milestone in tashas’ history.
“We have always aspired to spread our wings into the international arena, and the last nine years have served as great preparatory work for this step,” she said.
“This project has taken two years to reach fruition. We are always extremely discerning about site selection, choosing to be situated in bespoke malls situated in semi-suburban locations close to cities with a good balance of residential and business usage.”
A huge amount of research was conducted to select the right area and the right mall.
“In addition, as part of the set-up process, we faced challenges such as learning the local laws, training staff, sourcing the right produce and managing the logistics of transporting the restaurant interior from South Africa,” she said.
“We selected Dubai as the launch-pad for our international expansion because of its close geographical proximity to South Africa and the fact that we share a similar culture in terms of perceiving malls as entertainment destinations.”
In addition, the high number of expatriates in Dubai makes this market an attractive one for the brand.
The site in the Galleria Mall was specifically chosen because it is located between the suburbs and the city in an area which is established, but continues to be developed, and which features a good balance of local Emiratees and expatriates.
In keeping with tashas’ franchise format the restaurant will be co-owned and managed by a local franchisee, Dubai-born businessman Mubarak Binfahad.
“I wanted to bring a brand to Dubai that resonated with both the locals and the expatriates – a brand that speaks of luxury and sophistication, while still being relaxed,” said Binfahad.
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