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Nando’s to open outlets in Abu Dhabi next year

DUBAI — Abu Dhabi will have an outlet of Nando’s, the international Afro-Portuguese chain of restaurants, early next year, according to Nando’s UAE chief executive officer Suhail Gidwani.

Nando’s was developed as a concept drawing inspiration from an ancient civilization where people used fire to cook. The restaurant pitched its tent in the UAE in September 2002 and since then Nando’s has become a household name.

Ten years after the first Nando’s restaurant opened in the UAE, the peri-peri flavour spread as more and more people discovered just how delicious a little heat could be.

During the last ten years, Nando’s opened outlets mainly in Dubai and one each in Sharjah and Al Ain. “We focused mainly in this part [Dubai] of the UAE, and Abu Dhabi will be our next big attraction,” Gidwani told Khaleej Times in an interview.

“We now have eleven outlets in the UAE and we are planning to open two in Abu Dhabi,” he said, adding that the first one is expected by April 2013 in the capital.

Talking about the experience during the last ten years, Gidwani said: “It has been exciting and wonderful, which gives hope towards another 10 years. Ten years is a long time and we have strived hard to make this possible.”

“It is truly a moment of great pride and honour to have completed a successful decade in the UAE,” he said

“Dubai is a fantastic place and it has been a joy for us to have woven ourselves into the UAE’s family-friendly restaurant scene.”

“At Nando’s, we believe that nothing is more important than keeping a promise; today, it is extremely satisfying to see people enjoy the Nando’s experience wholeheartedly. The authentic peri-peri flavour has become a culture of celebration in the UAE and we aim to continue the trend in years to come. Looking ahead, we endeavour to double the number of restaurants we have today and also give Abu Dhabi its very own Nando’s,” Gidwani said.

“There is no number set for investment on one outlet as it depends on the size and location of the restaurant,” he said, adding that roughly, a million-dollar investment is required on average for establishing a single outlet.

Nando’s has standalone outlets and also has presence in major malls in Dubai and Al Ain. He mentioned that location is very important to attract big footfalls. “We are not limited to doing business only in malls as we are open to any thing or everything. If you look into footfalls in the worldwide licencing group of restaurants for Nando’s, this [Sheikh Zayed Road] is the highest producing Nando’s,” he said.

Celebrating their decade of commitment, passion and pride, Nando’s hosted a “Walk Down Memory Lane” at their Sheikh Zayed Road outlet. The event marked the culmination of their month-long celebration welcoming chicken aficionados to discover how special it is to belong to the Nando’s family.

— abdulbasit@khaleejtimes.com