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Musical of film ‘Rocky’ knocked down on Broadway THURSDAY, JULY 17, 2014 37 A young Bahraini Shiite Muslim boy poses for a picture as he reads the Quran, Islam’s holy book, during the holy fasting month of Ramadan at a mosque in the village of Sanabis, west of Manama—AFP Mideast food chains expand abroad Falafelhe super-sized malls that dot worried to about consumers go: being scared off by A customer collects her Dubai and other Gulf Arab cities a food many have never heard of, let alone dates box at the Bateel are stuffed with foreign res- tried. shop in Dubai, United taurants, from Burger King and “It would be crazy to think that we’d all Arab Emirates. Subway to suburban sit-down be eating sushi so casually 20 years ago,” staples like IHOP and Red Lobster. he said during an interview in one of his TMideast entrepreneurs who’ve taken on that Dubai branches. “I think it will be silly not to international competition are now turning the assume that everybody will be consuming tables, spreading restaurant chains serving falafel sometime down the road, you know, local cuisine like falafel overseas and proving as we consume sushi and everything else.” that the globalization of food isn’t a one-way Just Falafel isn’t afraid to innovate. Its more drive-thru lane. A United Arab Emirates- traditional Lebanese and Emirati offerings based chain called Just Falafel opened its first share menu space with Mexican, Japanese branches in the United States and Canada and Indian-themed sandwiches. One of its last month. Started in Abu Dhabi in 2007, the latest creations - including beets and salsa - is privately owned company is pushing ahead the Californian, a nod to the launch of its first with a rapid international rollout that has al- American outpost in the Bay Area town of Fre- ready brought its fried chickpea balls to Cairo, mont. The company has deals to open more Istanbul and London. franchises in New York, New Jersey, Kentucky, It aims to expand from 52 branches to Texas and Los Angeles. more than 900 in the years ahead, including “Falafel is a world food now. ... We see new locations in Europe and North America. ourselves to be the next Chipotle,” said Kevin The company’s enthusiastic British-Lebanese Shoaito, owner of the Fremont franchise. After CEO, Fadi Malas, sees a big potential market more than two decades in the restaurant busi- for the company’s wraps and other Mediter- ness, much of it at Olive Garden, he became People pass by a “Just Falafel” at the ranean offerings, such as hummus and tzatziki, Just Falafel’s first U.S. franchisee and plans City Walk district in Dubai. a yoghurt and cucumber dip. He says he’s not to open three more branches by next year. Shoaito sees a gap in the falafel market, which Authentic, ethnic foods he described as dominated by mom-and-pop Premium date purveyor Bateel also sees operations lacking consistency. He said the potential in Europe. So too does Dubai hospi- initial reaction to his store has been strong, tality company Jumeirah Group, which earlier drawing a diverse range of customers. this year opened a branch of its Asian-inspired People dine at one of The Noodle House chain in London’s West the branches of the Man’oushe Street End. Bateel sells its sweet fruits - harvested Man’oushe Street res- Another Emirati company serving up tradi- from 160,000 Saudi palm trees - and other taurant in Dubai. tional Middle Eastern street food, Man’oushe date-based products in boutiques similar to Street, got its start in Dubai selling oven- those of luxury chocolatiers. It is increasingly baked flatbreads covered with cheese, thyme building up its cafe business, where offerings and sesame seeds, or minced meat. With eight like quiche, risotto and couscous draw inspira- existing Dubai locations, founder and CEO tion from both East and West. It already has Jihad El Eit plans to expand in the Middle East two shops in London, and recently opened a and Europe, opening the first four stores in branch in Moscow. Egypt and announcing a deal last month for “From the very beginning, we knew we 12 branches in the Gulf nation of Qatar. The wanted to have something that has poten- company also reached a deal with Egyptian tial to develop internationally. ... That’s why franchisee Wadi Degla - which also has a we never made it a very ethnic, Arabic style,” franchise deal with Just Falafel - that includes Managing Director Ata Atmar said. “You don’t plans for 35 branches in the Netherlands, need to really be a European country to come Belgium and Luxembourg, the first of which up with a good concept.” Bateel plans to open are expected to open later this year. several new branches in the Emirates and in Like Just Falafel, Man’oushe Street doesn’t the nearby Gulf countries of Saudi Arabia, only target Middle Eastern customers. El Eit Qatar and Kuwait over the next two years. It estimates that 40 percent of his clientele is is also looking to expand in markets on the non-Arab, and the chain offers items like pep- edges of Europe, such as Russia and Turkey, as peroni pizza to reach a broader audience. He well as in the Far East. credits the company’s home of Dubai - with its Darren Tristano, an analyst at Chicago- cosmopolitan feel and Western-level stan- based food industry research firm Technomic, dards - for helping fuel the growth. “Dubai is said there are opportunities for Mideast a city that ... pushes you to be perfect in every brands to showcase “more authentic, ethnic Employees work in the single step of the process,” he said at a branch foods” as younger consumers seek out new kitchen of a Man’oushe tucked amid newly built high-rises. “With the tastes. But that doesn’t make it a sure bet. “It Street restaurant in tourism that you have here, a lot of people is very difficult to sell falafel or Lebanese flat- Dubai. might try to eat something they haven’t tried breads to a consumer base that has grown up before.” with burgers and pizza,” Tristano said.—AP.

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