Hospitality News ME - February/March 2020 (Issue 128)

Issue 128 | Feb - Mar 2020

hospitalitynewsmag.com

SPECIAL REPORT

F&B FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY REPORT 2020 CHAIN, STAND-ALONE OR POP-UP? THAT IS THE QUESTION P.52

NIGHTLIFE

THE 9 KINGS OF NIGHTLIFE

P.48

INDUSTRY

CO-WORKING FAD OR FUTURE?

P.42

LODGING

MICRO HOTELS

THE NEXT BIG TREND!

P.34

AIRBNB • NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN ARMENIA • THE BUSINESS OF WATER • UNIFORMS

a brand of

EMF Middle East: P.O.Box: 267, Jounieh, Lebanon - Tel +961(0)9 938732 - Fax +961 (0)9 935664 info@emf-me.com - www.emf-me.com

EDITOR'S VIEW Uniting, these voices could make the group an innovative and progressive one Group editor Nouhad Dammous Managing director Joumana Dammous-Salamé Editor Annie Keropian-Dilsizian Publication manager Randa Dammous-Pharaon Publication executive Rita Ghantous Graphic designers Elias Tufunkji Ibrahim Kastoun Features consultant Rana Freifer Features writer Jad Haidar Sub-editor/writer Miriam Dunn Sales executives Michel Ajjoub, Maha Hasbani, Josette Hikri advertise@hospitalitynewsmag.com Subscription executive Houayda Haddad-Roumman Mirna Maroun subscribe@hospitalitynewsmag.com Circulation coordinator Rita Nohra-Kejijian News news@hospitalitynewsmag.com Production & printing Arab Printing Press Published by Hospitality Services sarl Lebanon Borghol Building, Dekwaneh P.O.Box 90 155 Jdeidet el Metn 1202 2020 Tel: +961 1 480081 Fax: +961 1 482876 info@hospitalityservices.me www.hospitalitynewsmag.com All the information disclosed in the magazine was provided by the parties concerned by each publication and checked to the highest possible extent by the editors. However, the magazine cannot ensure accuracy at all times of all information published and therefore could in no case be held responsible should any information reveal to be false or insufficient.

We welcome views on any subject relevant to the hospitality industry, but request that letters be short and to the point. The editor reserves the right to select and edit letters.

Hospitality News ME is distributed to trade professionals in the catering and lodging industry in the Middle East.

Activating tourism in Lebanon: the power of S11 You're probably wondering what the S11 might be, thinking perhaps, that it’s a new missile. In fact, it’s the collective name and number of the 11 members of the federations of hospitality and tourism in Lebanon, and related industries and activities already in existence, namely: - Syndicate of Hotel Owners - Syndicate of Restaurants, Cafés, Nightclubs and Pastry Owners - Syndicate of Furnished-Apartment Owners - Syndicate of Travel Agent Owners - Syndicate of Seaside Resorts - Syndicate of Seaside Tourist Establishments - Syndicate of Arabic Sweets' Shop Owners - Middle East Airlines - Solidere - Casino du Liban - The Lebanese Franchise Association If brought together, these organizations making up the S11 could give their teams tremendous power. By uniting, these voices could make the group an innovative and progressive one.

Can it be done? Certainly. How? Well, to start with, they could: • Promote the S11 and increase its influence • Be the link between the industry and government bodies • Act promptly and create change in the sector to prove its efficiency • Develop a more caring industry, concerned about the customers, the end users, the environment and humanity as a whole • Be the communication network through which the S11 can interact in a constructive manner We need you, federations and active tourism establishments, to be known as the ultimate reference when it comes to tourism authority, one able to play an active role in shaping policies that affect the industry at the local, national and global levels. For this to happen, it has to work both ways. Which means that the S11 has its own share of commitment and participation to fulfill. And, to create a happening, the team could adopt a major cause each year, thus projecting the image of a powerful, influential organization. I hope that this team, together with the Ministry of Tourism and the Chamber of Commerce, participates in specialized initiatives such as exhibitions, seminars, workshops and contests. There is ‘strength in numbers’ as the saying goes.

The union of the S7 Syndicate and the Active Tourism establishments under one roof would also be a dream come true for all members of the hospitality family in Lebanon.

Nouhad Dammous Editor-in-Chief Docteur Honoris Causa

In this issue Feb - Mar 2020

EDITOR’S VIEW

Activating tourism in Lebanon: the power of S11

NEWS

03

08 10 18 24 25

28 30

32

Industry Hotels Food & Beverage Chefs Suppliers

18

Hakkasan Group development

28

HORECA Kuwait 2020 review

38

Renovate your rooms

HORECA NETWORK A magnificent HORECA Kuwait HORECA Dammam set to debut in April 2020

EVENTS SEEN & HEARD SHIC 2020 brings together hundreds of hospitality leaders

WHERE TO BE SEEN 33 Gulfood

BUSINESS

LODGING

34 36

Micro hotels the next trend Airbnb: ‘I am pacman’

ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN

38

Renovate your rooms

EYE ON

40 Armenia INDUSTRY

42

The co-working space trend: Fad or future?

TECHNOLOGY

44

Rate parity or disparity?

Recommendations…

NIGHTLIFE

48

9 kings of nightlife

FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE DAILY NEWS FROM AROUND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY GO TO

HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

@Hospitality_Mag

HospitalityNewsME

IDEAS NEVER STOP You sometimes just need to be inspired by a new coffee experience

NESPRESSO MOMENTO DESIGNED FOR MEANINGFUL COFFEE EXPERIENCES C O N TA C T U S F O R M O R E I N F O R M AT I O N

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SPECIAL REPORT

52

54

FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY REPORT 2020

62 64

Chains and franchises vs. stand-alone restaurants Middle East franchise market overview Pop-up franchises more than a passing trend?

Survival of the winning concepts Hospitality news 100: the ones to watch

SOLUTIONS

58 60

80

HUMAN RESOURCES

Maximize HR with human capital technology How to make your business attractive to investors

PRODUCT ZONE

86

NEW PRODUCTS

82

52

Franchising opportunity report 2020

88

Uniforms: Wear it’s at

On the market

EQUIPMENT 88 Wear it’s at BEVERAGE 90 Less is more in the bottled water business

CHOCOMANIA 92 Gold dome pastry

Coming issue Apr - May 2020

• Special report Women in hospitality • Hotels MICE - Banqueting • Restaurants Delivery - High end restaurants • Food Spices • Beverage Lebanese wine • Equipment Bakery equipment

FOR UP-TO-THE-MINUTE DAILY NEWS FROM AROUND THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY GO TO

HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM 92

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Saudi Arabia Gulfwest U.A.E. Faisal Al Nusif Trading Company Chef Middle East UAE Transmed Overseas Incorporated CertifiedAngusBeef.com #BESTANGUSBEEF

NEWS

INDUSTRY

KUWAIT HUMANITARIAN AND FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY HONORS MOHAMED NAJIA

TRENDING ON

HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM GM Architects wins the European Property Award in the Interior Design category

Galal Mahmoud Architects won the award for the best hotel in the ‘interior design’ category for its work on the Myconian Korali, Kyma and Naia in Greece. The company, completed the renovation and refurbishment of the highend luxury boutique destinations, giving each its own individual character.

Working closely with the Daktilydes family, the owners of the Myconian Collection, the brief consisted of constructing the brandnew Naia establishment as well as dramatically transforming the existing Kyma and Korali hotels.

Nada Debs collaborates with IKEA for LJUV COLLECTION

The Kuwait Humanitarian and Friendship Society, established in the State of Kuwait in April 2018, is a legal entity whose founders are the prime contributors of its financial support. It is also worth noting that it is one of the very few to have women members. The Society aims to spread affinity and peace among individuals, by indiscriminately offering medical, social and financial care to those in need. In recognition of his accomplishments and generosity, the Society expressed

its heart-felt gratitude to Mohamed Najia, General Secretary of the Kuwait Hotel Owners Association, who over his 50 years of service to the Kuwaiti goverment and private sector has contributed to its growth and prosperity. Considered as a regional master in the hospitality field, Najia has a repertoire that includes a variety of successes recognized on a regional and global scale. He is also a partner at HORECA Kuwait. khfsolidarity.org

GCC TOURISM SPEND IN EGYPT WILL INCREASE 11 PERCENT IN 2020 GCC tourists to Egypt will spend USD 2.36 billion in 2020, an increase of 11 percent over 2019, with visitors from Saudi Arabia driving this growth, according to new data published ahead of Arabian Travel Market 2020, which takes place at Dubai World Trade Centre from 19-22 April 2020.

Visitors from Saudi Arabia to Egypt made 1,410 trips in 2019 with a forecast of 1.8 million tourists

by 2024, a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 5 percent.

In terms of tourism expenditure.

Saudi Arabian visitors spent USD 633 million in 2019 which is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 11 percent through to 2024, reaching USD 1.13 billion, according to Colliers International research commissioned by the organiser of ATM, Reed Travel Exhibitions. arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com

IKEA collaborated with Studio Nada Debs for the collection LJUV — named after the Swedish word for delightful, where traditional Middle Eastern patterns and symbols meet Scandinavian design.

The collaboration includes a mix of big and small decorative and functional items such as floor cushions, rugs, trays, ceramics and glassware that make it easy to host many guests. The creations will be available in select stores in the Middle East in February 2020.

An innovative wellness hub will debut in Abu Dhabi in 2020

Al Qana, the new social culinary and entertainment destination developed by Al Barakah International Investment (BII) in Abu Dhabi, revealed The Bridge Wellness Hub, one of its seven destinations. The integrated lifestyle wellness hub has been carefully designed to be a disruptive space within its industry.

The construction of the concept has commenced already and it will open its doors for the first time in Q4 2020 to coincide with the grand opening of Al Qana.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the green airline, is underway

Wizz Air Holdings, Europe's greenest airline and the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, announced that it has reached an agreement to establish Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates in partnership with Abu Dhabi Development Holding Company PJSC. The new airline will be Wizz Air's first airline established outside of Europe. Wizz Air's carbon-dioxide emissions were the lowest among European airlines in November 2019 (57.2 gr/km/ passenger). Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will be formed via a joint venture, and operations are expected to launch in the second half of 2020.

Nestlé joins forces with EHL Group, EPFL and Vaud canton to promote food innovation ecosystem

SOUND - BITE Speaking at the AHIC Advisory Board, Philip Wooller, Area Director – ME and Africa, STR, said: “With hotel pipelines representing 71 percent of existing supply in KSA, 57 percent of existing supply in Oman and 48 percent of existing supply in Dubai, even with increases in demand, RevPAR is unlikely to increase significantly over the coming years.

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

The aim is to address the key challenges of sustainable and high-quality food by attracting talent, startups and investments to Switzerland. The initiative will focus on various areas, such as nutrition, life sciences, alternative proteins, packaging science, waste management and precision agriculture.

For up-to-the-minute news on the stories that matter to you most, read it first on www.hospitalitynewsmag.com

NEWS

HOTELS

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

BRIDGING THE GAP WITH WYNDHAM’S PANOS LOUPASIS The unrivaled locations of the hotels in the heart of Muscat’s business and leisure district makes these the perfect properties to complement our growing offering in the region, and underlines our commitment to strengthening our presence in this important market.

Focusing more broadly on the Middle East – what is Wyndham’s short-term and long-term outlook/vision for the Middle East region?

Panos Loupasis

Over the past year, we’ve seen tremendous growth and significant signings within the UAE, Saudi Arabian and Omani markets in particular. In this time, we’ve reached significant milestones and continued to expand our footprint – including important new openings and signings, a series of key brand launches and new market entries.

Wyndham Hotels & Resorts continues to expand across the Middle East with a pipeline of 23 additional properties and over 4,600 planned between now and 2023. Panos Loupasis, Vice President Development – Middle East, Eurasia & Africa for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, discusses the company’s ambitious growth strategy and execution

Just last December, we introduced two more of our iconic brands into Saudi Arabia for the first time – Wyndham Garden Damam and Howard Johnson Dammam Cornish Street. The year 2018 also saw the launch of two other hotels in KSA (Ramada by Wyndham Al Khobar King Abdullah Street & Ramada

by Wyndham Dammam Khaleej Road), further strengthening our offering within the important mid-market sector in the Kingdom, bringing us to 15 operational hotels and over 2,300 rooms – with five more properties and over 1,000 additional rooms in our development pipeline.

You recently announced your expansion in Oman with two new brand entries. Can you tell us a little about your strategy for this market and its importance for Wyndham?

We also recently announced three new hotels in Dubai as part of the Deira Waterfront Development by Ithra Dubai, under the Wyndham (282 rooms), Days

by Wyndham (131 rooms) and Super 8 by Wyndham (90 rooms) brands (the first Days Inn and Super 8 properties in the UAE).

Over the past year, Oman has become an increasingly popular destination for travelers, witnessing an increase of more than 25 percent in inbound visitors in the first six months of 2019 alone. This surge in visitor numbers follows the Ministry of Tourism’s sustained efforts to promote Oman as a key travel destination and attract investment to the sector. The openings of our two new hotels in Muscat mark a significant milestone for Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, as we seek to expand our presence in this increasingly important market and support Oman’s ambitious Vision 2040 tourism program. As the world’s largest hotel franchising company, we are particularly focused on helping to develop the country’s mid-market hotel sector and creating more job opportunities for the people of Oman.

Our expansion marks the introduction of two new brands to Oman – Wyndham Garden and Ramada Encore by Wyndham.

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

What are your thoughts on the current level of supply in the Dubai market? And how do you think Dubai will fare post Expo 2020?

When you look at future room supply in the emirate, the majority of it falls within the four and five-star category. However, oversupply is not really an issue if you target the right segment. By this, I mean that any developer or hotelier taking on a new project in any region should be looking at where they can bridge the gaps in that particular market. This is what we have focused on doing here in the UAE and wider Middle East with our focus on the mid-market and economy sector.

Looking ahead to Expo 2020 and beyond, while a natural downturn can be expected following an increase in supply ahead of any major event, we expect this to very much be in the short-term as additional supply gets absorbed. With the increase in visitor

numbers year-on-year and growing demand in the mid-market sector, particularly from high-growth markets like India and China, we believe Dubai has the potential to continue to be a popular destination post-Expo 2020. In fact, its history of successfully diversifying itself as a tourism offering leads us to remain very optimistic that any downturn will be followed by a more positive uplift in the market as the region continues to draw visitors to our shores in the years to come. wyndhamhotels.com

IN BRIEF Five new Hyatt properties to open in the region by the end of 2020

Hyatt Hotels Corporation announced that more than 20 new luxury hotels and resorts are expected to open worldwide by the end of 2020, boosting its luxury portfolio. Five of these additions are slated for the region. “With our growth acceleration in the luxury segment, we will have the opportunity to care for more travelers around the globe through a range of differentiated highend experiences,” said Mark Vondrasek, chief commercial officer, Hyatt. “We’re excited to expand into new markets and enhance the global footprint of our brands, giving our guests and members additional ways to connect with our luxury offerings in places where they want to be.” Celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2020, the Park Hyatt brand is also a key contributor to Hyatt’s luxury portfolio growth, with five Park Hyatt hotels expected to open by 2020, including one in Doha, Qatar. “Across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, as well as Southwest Asia, luxury properties account for over a third (35 percent) of our portfolio,” said Peter Fulton, group president – EAME SWA, Hyatt. Other announcements include the expansion of the Alila brand, which delivers worldclass service and crafts and rare and intimate experiences for its guests, with three luxury resorts expected to open, including one in Oman. In addition, six Andaz branded luxury lifestyle properties are due to open, including one in Dubai, UAE. The Grand Hyatt brand is also set to continue to steadily grow with new openings in Hefei and the Shenzhou Peninsula in China, Kuwait, Gurgaon in India, Jeju in South Korea, and Nashville, Tennessee, along with the first Grand Hyatt hotel in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. hyatt.com

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NEWS

HOTELS

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ROTANA HOTELS PARTNERS WITH WITWORK ON CO-WORKING PLATFORM WitWork, a community that transforms cafés, restaurants and hotels into coworking spaces, has added the Rotana group of hotels to its portfolio. This strategic partnership will introduce several new co-working options to WitWork's expansive list of prime venues. Featuring over 15 Rotana venues in the UAE, WitWorkers will enjoy flexible workspaces in sophisticated lounges, collaboration corners and superior amenities at these venues. With over 40 co-working spaces in its portfolio extending into Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Al Ain and Ras Al Khaimah - the addition of Rotana hotels will make WitWork more accessible than ever.

MILLENNIUM HOTELS AND RESORTS PLANS TO BOOST ITS PRESENCE IN THE KSA Millennium Hotels & Resorts MEA has revealed development plans for Saudi Arabia with a goal of operating 25 hotels kingdomwide by 2025. The group, which currently operates nine hotels across Riyadh, Makkah, Madinah and Hail and has seven hotels under development in Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah, Jizan and Tabouk, is targeting strategic locations in every region across the country as it maps out its blueprint for growth over the next five years.

“Most hotel chains target the primary cities of Riyadh, Jeddah, Madinah and Makkah for expansion, but having operated in Saudi Arabia for five years, we have identified opportunities beyond these markets, in line with Vision 2030 and the phenomenal growth of the country’s tourism and hospitality industry,” said Kevork Deldelian, who was recently promoted to Chief Executive Officer, Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA. millenniumhotels.com

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

Commenting on this news, Guy Hutchinson, CEO of Rotana said, “Coworking is a growing trend and we are extremely pleased to be associated with WitWork, which presents the right platform for the community of freelancers and the young generation of entrepreneurs. Rotana offers some stunning venues and meeting rooms across its hotels and resorts, and having those spaces available for WitWorkers will certainly benefit both parties and will allow us to bring in the footfall to our hotels. Our association is starting with the UAE and will soon be expanding to other countries across the region”. rotana.com

IN BRIEF Three new Radisson Hotel properties coming to Turkey

Radisson Hotel Group, with properties in key locations across Turkey, is preparing to open three more hotels in 2020. Radisson Hotel President Beyazıt Istanbul and Radisson Hotel Istanbul Sultanahmet will open in the second quarter of 2020 in two of Istanbul’s major tourist locations Beyazıt and Sultanahmet respectively, with investor Pantur Turizm ve Ticaret A.Ş, while Radisson Hotel İzmir Aliağa will open in Turkey’s third largest city Izmir, with investor Elif İntro Otelcilik. Elie Younes, Executive Vice President & Chief Development Officer, Radisson Hotel Group said: “Radisson Hotel Group’s strong commitment to the Turkish market continues to grow with over 30 properties in Turkey. Radisson Hotel Group is the largest operator in the upper upscale segment in Istanbul.” radissonhotelgroup.com

NEWS

HOTELS

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

OPENING SOON EGYPT

NOW OPEN KSA

KUWAIT SWISS-BELBOUTIQUE BNEID AL GAR KUWAIT 64 rooms swiss-belhotel.com

KSA

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL TO BRING W HOTEL TO CAIRO Marriott International has entered into an agreement with Landmark Sabbour to bring the W Brand’s Whatever/Whenever service and programming to Cairo. W Cairo will be situated in 1-Ninety - a 300,000 square meter mixed-use development in the emerging New Cairo district featuring retail, commercial and residential space.

Opening 2024 marriott.com

AMAALA TO BECOME AN EXCLUSIVE, SUSTAINABLE DESTINATION AMAALA, a giga-project by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) underway in northwest Saudi Arabia, has been incorporated as a standalone company.

The development is slated to include the world’s top hotel brands and more than 800 residential villas, apartments and estate homes, alongside 200 high-end fashion and retail establishments. amaala.com

KSA

OMAN

VOCO™ RIYADH 438 rooms and suites vocohotels.com

MOROCCO RADISSON BLU HOTEL, CASABLANCA CITY CENTER 120 rooms and 16 suites radissonhotels.com

QATAR PARK HYATT DOHA 187 guest rooms and 28 Park Suites wabudhabiyasisland.com

TUNISIA WORLD’S LARGEST FAIRFIELD BY MARRIOTT HOTEL COMING TO MAKKAH Marriott International announced that it has signed a landmark agreement with Nahdet Al-Mashaer to open a 2,600-room Fairfield by Marriott property in Makkah.

Construction has already commenced.

Opening 2023 marriott.com

MARRIOTT INTERNATIONAL TO OPEN COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT IN OMAN The Royal Oman Police Pension Fund has inked a deal with Marriott International to debut the Courtyard by Marriott brand in Nizwa, Oman. It will comprise 200 guest rooms – including 30 chalets. Leisure facilities will include a spa, a fitness center and pool.

Opening 2024 marriott.com

QATAR

UAE

ANANTARA TOZEUR RESORT 93 rooms anantara.com

UAE

ANDAZ DUBAI THE PALM 217 guestrooms, including 34 suites, and 116 residences hyatt.com EMERALD PALACE KEMPINSKI DUBAI 391 rooms, suites and villas kempinski.com

ROSEWOOD DOHA AND ROSEWOOD RESIDENCES TO OPEN IN LUSAIL CITY Housed in two striking towers, Rosewood Doha and Rosewood Residences Doha will consist of an ultra-luxury hotel with 185 exquisite guestrooms and sumptuous suites, 173 serviced apartments for long-term stays and 300 residences available for purchase.

Opening 2022 rosewoodhotels.com

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WORLD'S FIRST WARNER BROS. HOTEL TO OPEN ON YAS ISLAND The WB Abu Dhabi will be located adjacent to the award-winning Warner Bros. The WB Abu Dhabi will feature more than 250 rooms over eight levels that celebrates Warner Bros.' film and television library.

Opening 2021 miral.ae

MILLENNIUM PLACE BARSHA HEIGHTS 915-rooms, suites and serviced apartments millenniumhotels.com RAMADA HOTEL & SUITES BY WYNDHAM DUBAI JBR 188 rooms and apartments rhotels.ae W ABU DHABI – YAS ISLAND 499 guest rooms and suites w-hotels.marriott.com

NEWS

HOTELS

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PEOPLE ON THE MOVE

JUMEIRAH RESHUFFLES LEADERSHIP PACK ACROSS KEY MARKETS Jumeirah Group has announced two new appointments for prominent positions in key markets, including Abu Dhabi, Dubai, London and Frankfurt. In the UAE, Marcus Sutton joins Jumeirah Group as general manager of Jumeirah Emirates Towers. Sutton has held several senior roles, including, most recently, that of general manager with IHG in the GCC. Savino Leone takes on the role of general manager of Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi, moving from Kuwait, where he led operations at Jumeirah Messilah Beach Hotel & Spa for two years.

NEW CLUSTER GM JOINS MILLENNIUM & COPTHORNE MAKKAH AL NASEEM Millennium and Copthorne Makkah Al Naseem has appointed Mohamed Abdel Fattah as its new cluster general manager. Fattah is an award-winning GM, with extensive international experience that extends over 23 years. He joined Millennium Hotels and Resorts MEA in 2018 as general manager of M Hotel Makkah by Millennium.

EMIRATIZATION DIRECTOR JOINS JUMEIRAH GROUP Under the umbrella of the UAE leaders’ vision to empower Emiratis across its semigovernment organizations and private sector, Muneera Al Taher has been appointed as Emiratization Director at Jumeirah Group. She will pioneer a new agenda that focuses on attracting top talent and introducing new development programs.

NEW OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR TRYP BY WYNDHAM DUBAI Tryp by Wyndham Dubai has announced the appointment of George Farouk as operations manager. In his new role, Farouk will oversee operations across all departments throughout the hotel. With more than 20 years’ experience in the Middle East, Farouk has worked for some of the world’s leading hospitality brands, including Anantara, Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, InterContinental Hotel Group and Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts.

SWISS-BELRESIDENCES JUFFAIR APPOINTS NEW GM Duco E. de Vries is SwissBelhotel International’s new GM for Swiss-Belresidences Juffair in Bahrain. Duco moved to Dubai in 2006, joining the Arabian Park Hotel, Wafi Hospitality. He went on to oversee the pre-opening of the Holiday Inn Express Jumeirah, UAE, in 2008 as GM. Other appointments took him to Oman and Egypt, before he returned to the UAE to take up top positions with key hospitality brands.

NEW GM JOINS RIXOS BAB AL BAHR Rixos Bab Al Bahr has announced the appointment of Horst Walther-Jones as its new GM. Having started his career in 1983 as sous chef for the Renaissance hotel in his native Germany, WaltherJones went on to gain further management experience in numerous hotels and resorts across Europe, Mexico, South East Asia and the Middle East.

In all, he brings over 42 years of expertise in leadership gained across the international hospitality industry to his role.

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NEW GM JOINS RADISSON BLU HOTEL APARTMENTS DUBAI SILICON OASIS Radisson Hotel Group has announced the appointment of Aldert van Zyl as general manager of Radisson Blu Hotel Apartments, Dubai Silicon Oasis, effective from November 24, 2020. The South African national joined the Radisson Hotel Group in 2014 as director of food & beverage and holds an MBA from Cape Peninsula University of Technology.

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

y 2020 16-20 Februar re

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NEWS

FOOD & BEVERAGE

HAKKASAN GROUP PLANNING STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT IN THE KSA

“We believe the KSA is really a burgeoning market. With Saudi Vision 2030 and all the recent progressiveness happening in the country, it really is the right moment to become part of the fabric of change in the country and really add to its culinary scene,” said Angela Lester, executive vice president of business development for Hakkasan Group in an exclusive chat with HN. She said the population is well-traveled and

“understands and appreciates what we do and offer.” The opening of their latest outlet in Riyadh, Yauatcha, brought extremely positive feedback. “We have a very niche concept within the fine dining arena and are really fortunate to be able to expand this brand into the Middle East for the first time, and Riyadh really is the perfect place to start that journey for Yauatcha.” According to their philosophy, fine dining can set a foothold in the KSA. Whereas the UAE has been hosting most fine dining venues for years, the KSA is in a position to leap forward and show itself to the world as being more cosmopolitan and innovative, they believe. “There is a great deal of untapped talent and innovation happening in the country, and has been for years, but now the outside world can finally come in and experience it firsthand,” she explained. The group is planning to expand its presence in the Kingdom, bringing in different brands from its portfolio. On the operations level, she said that working with local partners is key to the success of such international concepts. Lester believes that working with like-minded local partners allows for the best usage of local knowledge and experience, which is essential in fruitful ventures. Hakkasan Group currently partners with Al Khozama, which operates one of the most successful luxury hospitality companies in the Kingdom. hakkasangroup.com

SPINE BEIRUT WINS TWO AWARDS AT THE 2019 RESTAURANT & BAR DESIGN AWARDS

SPINE Beirut was crowned winner of the ‘Best Overall Bar’ design in the world at the 2019 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards, a globally recognized competition dedicated to the design of food and beverage spaces.

The contest featured 3,000 participants, competing from over 70 countries. The judging panel was made up of 29 of the most influential global personalities and industry-leading figures, working across

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design, architecture, hospitality and lifestyle media. Contestants gathered in Central London, where SPINE Beirut was announced winner of the grand prize (Best Overall Bar). SPINE is a lounge bar that offers a refined, yet vibrant experience, embracing a contemporary cuisine and a social bar amidst floating light elements. The SPINE experience kicks off with a static dinner setup and progressively develops into a dynamic lounge with upbeat music and interactive lighting.

Designed by Gregory Gatserelia, SPINE is the first rooftop bar design concept focused on the sky. The night venue was conceived on the idea of avoiding the trappings of rooftop design – walls or floor space focus - and opting instead for an upward esthetic lighting structure that animates the night sky. “Physically guests stop looking outward – they are so attracted by the light that they look into each other or the light. The energy is meant to stay in the place and in the moment,” explained Gatserelia spinebeirut.com

IN BRIEF Lebanese Zaatar w Zeit debuts in Vancouver

Lebanese food and beverage concept Zaatar w Zeit opened its first flagship store in North America in Vancouver, west Canada, in November 2019. The new branch is located on 531 Granville Street, a business area near universities and tourist attractions. The project is Zaatar W Zeit’s own initiative, and the format is a hybrid one, combining both dine-in and grab & go models. In an interview with Hospitality News ME, Elie Ghobeira, marketing manager at Zaatar W Zeit, explained that they picked Vancouver because it is Canada’s third largest city and “one of the world's most livable cities in addition to its ethnic mix and food scene.”

Ghobeira explained that in addition to the time-zone difference, managing the whole entity overseas and shipping all main ingredients to Canada were the main challenges they faced. “We are not only targeting the Lebanese community in Vancouver, as it is very small, but rather all students, office workers, tourists and foodies,” he said. Zaatar w Zeit, a commercial brand of the Lebanese company Breakfast & Co. S.A.L., is an urban eatery franchise founded in Lebanon in 1999 and operating with 23 outlets in Lebanon and more than 57 outlets in GCC including 20 in the United Arab Emirates and one outlet in Canada. zaatarwzeit.net MMC Catering eyes new heights

Ibrahim Alhouti from MMC Catering, the company responsible for elevating Kuwait’s culinary scene, gave Hospitality News exclusive details during HORECA Kuwait of its ambitious expansion plans for 2020. Known for brands such as Le Notre Paris, Meem Cafe, Crimson Garden, Rice Culture on a Tray, Sawah Arabesque and Italo's Café, MMC Catering will be marking this year with what can best be described as a rebirth. It will be rebranded as LOUD TABLE GROUP in June 2020, expanding its operations in the region with some exciting new additions: Loud Table Dubai, Loud Table Riyadh, Loud Table Qatar and Loud Table Bahrain. mmckuwait.com

READ MORE ONLINE HOSPITALITYNEWSMAG.COM

RAYA RESTAURANTS

SUCCESS STORIES, CHAPTER BY CHAPTER

Established in 2013, Raya Restaurants, a subsidiary of Raya Holding for Financial Investments, has become a market leader within Egypt’s F&B sector. Karim Nayef Khalife, Raya Restaurants’ CEO, talks about the firm’s evolution and its exciting plans for the future Tell us about the mission of Raya Restaurants.

Our aim was to build internationally competitive restaurant chains, offering superior dining experiences that could be franchised both regionally and globally.

Currently, our brand portfolio comprises five in-house brands: our star brand, Ovio; Little Ovio; Lorenzo’s Pizzeria; Liquid; and Espresso Bar. Founded in 2014, Ovio, our European

restaurant/café, is driven by a desire to provide quality Artisan food to our customers. The unique selection of fresh bread, delicious pastries and flavorsome dishes is inspired by our European heritage and leads the way in our aim to satisfy everyone who appreciates great food.

Our mission at Raya Restaurants is to create value through the development of our brands and management know-how, and anticipating trends. We aim to increase the company’s competitiveness locally and regionally, ensuring we satisfy our customers and colleagues.

How successful has Ovio been?

Over the past five years, Ovio has established a footprint in Cairo and created a true success story by strongly positioning itself in the Egyptian market as a premium European, all-day venue.

Today, we have four branches in Cairo and two branches on the North Coast. Ovio will continue to expand in Egypt and we will also explore potential opportunities for it outside of the country. We believe that our brand will provide added value to

international restaurant groups looking to serve premium customers.

What's in the pipeline?

In the coming three years, Raya Restaurants will continue to expand its in-house concepts, especially Ovio. We are also planning to increase our brand portfolio through franchising or various partnership models. Indeed, we believe that Raya Restaurants and its well-established management platform offers an ideal gateway for international brands looking to enter or expand in the Egyptian market.

In January 2020, we signed a master franchise agreement with Jones the Grocer, the Australian specialty gourmet food retail and award-winning café, and will be opening two flagship stores this year. We have also signed a franchise agreement with The Lebanese Bakery, a growing neighborhood bakery in the Middle East and Europe, which has paved the way for the opening of two new stores this year.

For more information about Raya Holding for Financial Investments, visit rayacorp.com FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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NEWS

FOOD & BEVERAGE

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BAKY HOSPITALITY PUTS EGYPT ON THE MIDDLE EAST’S UPSCALE DINING MAP As Baky Hospitality’s latest contemporary restaurant, Lexie’s brings an abundance of Italian passion to its kitchen. Classic Italian dishes are given a modern twist, including the focaccia, pizza dough, stuffed pasta and gelato, while the showstopper of the dining experience is the mushroom risotto. “We wanted to stay true to what Lexie’s is, yet bring as much focus as possible to the local ingredients,” said Baky. “Some things are best left for Italians to produce. We import the artisanal burrata cheese, crafted in small batches in a farmhouse in Italy; it is one of those

good, milky cheeses, the kind that keeps you coming back for more. And, of course, the exceptional balsamic vinegar, stored and aged for eight years at the Venturini Baldini vineyards in Italy.” To accompany the new dining experience, Baky has collaborated with one of Beirut’s ‘angriest bartenders’, Walid Merhi, co-owner of Ferdinand Gastro Pub. Talented Merhi, who has now been appointed as the beverage director at Baky Hospitality, has carefully created the latest Lexie’s cocktails to bring the perfect balance of tastes. bakyhospitality.com

JONES THE GROCER LAUNCHES IN EGYPT THROUGH RAYA RESTAURANTS

IN BRIEF AWJ Investments plans five openings in KSA in H1 2020

Raya Restaurants, one of the subsidiaries of Raya Holding for Financial Investments, announced the signing of the master franchise agreement in the Egyptian market with the Australian specialty gourmet food retail and award-wining café, Jones the Grocer. Raya Holding is planning to increase its direct investment during the coming five years, with an investment equal to 150 million Egyptian pounds.

Medhat Khalil, chairman of Raya Holding for Financial Investments, said that Raya’s goal is to provide topnotch services, through unforgettable customer experience and the most appetizing food, desserts and gourmet retail. Karim Nayef Khalife, Chief Executive Officer of Raya Restaurants said “We, at Raya Restaurants, are welcoming and looking forward to partnering with Jones the Grocer and its high-end offerings.

By incorporating the brand into Raya Restaurants’ portfolio, we are confirming our business strategy of strengthening our offerings and positioning in the Egyptian market.” Yunib Siddiqui, Chief Executive

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Officer of Jones the Grocer, said “We’ve come a long way since our first ever store in Sydney, Australia 22 years ago and our first opening in the Middle East in Abu Dhabi in 2009. We’re thrilled to work with Raya Restaurants and look forward to building incredibly successful stores with their team across Egypt over the next few years.”The first two Jones the Grocer flagship stores will be at Galleria 40 Mall - in Sheikh Zayed and at the O1 Mall – New Cairo. They will feature gourmet grocery retail, a halal charcuterie, a bakery and patisserie, Jones the Grocer’s hallmark artisan cheese-room and an outdoor terrace which will set the benchmark for store design and gourmet food retail in Cairo. In conjunction with the established Jones the Grocer formats, the multi-store rollout across Egypt also encompasses the incredibly successful Jones the Grocer Express, a compact gourmet ‘grab and go’ offer tailored for high-traffic travel such as airports and commercial hubs. jonesthegrocer.com

Following the successful launch of three of its brands – Operation: Falafel, Catch 22 and Awani – in Riyadh, and Operation: Falafel in Dammam and Dhahran, AWJ Investments is continuing its expansion in the Saudi market with five restaurants set to open in H1 of 2020. The decision to extend its reach in Saudi Arabia follows AWJ Investments’ earlier success in Riyadh, where openings took place in The Zone mall for Catch 22 and Awani, while Operation: Falafel enjoyed a high-profile launch in Rubeen Plaza. Expanding the reach of the much-loved Operation: Falafel concept, AWJ Investments is also working with local franchisees in the Eastern province for their restaurants in Dammam and Dhahran. Now entering a new phase of growth, AWJ Investments is set to launch its first restaurants in Jeddah, with Catch 22 scheduled to open in February, followed by Operation: Falafel (early April) and Awani later in 2020. In addition, the company will develop two more Operation: Falafel chain offerings at Ajdan Walk, Al Khobar and Alia Plaza, Riyadh in Q2 of 2020. awj.ae Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi takes F&B to a new level

Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi is bringing the genuine ‘Americana’ experience to its clients with the introduction of a highly innovative F&B concept. Butcher & Still’s food truck is delivering this concept to the UAE and Four Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi, with an offering that conjures up the spirit of the iconic 1920s’ Chicago steakhouse. fourseasons.com

NEWS

FOOD & BEVERAGE

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NEW OPENINGS KSA

BABEL

LEILA MIN LEBNEN

YAUATCHA RIYADH

Opened January 12, 2020 Owner Afkar holding but in KSA Alshaya franchise Covers 240 indoors and ourdoors Average price/person USD 45 Typical dishes Fattit shrimps, Maajoua Address Ajdan Road, Ajdan Walk, Khobar babelrestaurant.com

Opening February 2020 Owner Multaka Al Zad for tourism Covers 270 indoors and outdoors Average price/person USD 30 Typical dishes Fattouch, Lebanese Mixed Grill Address Levels – Exit 5, Riyadh leilaminlebnen.com

Opening February 9, 2020 Owner Al Khozama Management Company Executive chef Stanley Lum Wah Cheok Covers 300 Average price/person USD 70 Typical dishes Har Gau, Peking duck Address Al Faisaliah Mode Mall, Riyadh yauatcha.sa

KUWAIT

LEBANON

OSAKA JAPANESE RESTAURANT

THE BBQ HOUSE

VERANDA

Opened November 25, 2019 Owner Hassan Achkoudra Executive chef Hassan Achkoudra Covers 44 indoors, 20 outdoors Average price/person USD 12-14 Typical dishes Steak, Oak Grilled Chicken, Burger Address Hamra, Baalbeck Street bbqhouselb.com

Opened October 5, 2019 Owners Triple K & D Covers 140 Average price/person USD 25-30 Typical dishes Crispy Chicken, Fish Address Charles Malek Street, Beirut Facebook.com/Veranda Beirut

Opened September 18, 2019 Owner Osaka Restaurants & Food Supply Co. Total investment USD 1 million Head chef Rodel Santos Average price/person USD 50 Typical dishes Sushi & Teppanyaki Address Al Soor Tower, Salhiya Area, Kuwait facebook.com/osakaq8

QATAR

UAE

ELLAMIA

90 CENTIGRADE

WAKHA RESTAURANT

Opened December 22, 2019 Owner Mondrian Doha, part of sbe Group Executive pastry chef Laurent Grolleau Covers 65 pax Average price/person USD 30 Typical dishes Bumble Coffee, Florest Rock Address Mondrian Doha’s Frozen Forest Lobby morganshotelgroup.com

Opened December 11, 2019 Owner Grand Millennium Al Wahda Hotel Executive chef Lev Muradov Covers 85 indoors and outdoors Average price/person USD 25 Typical dishes Pastries, Salads and Sandwiches Address Al Wahda Complex Abu Dhabi millenniumhotels.com

Opened October 31, 2019 Total investment USD 1 million Head Chef Hamidullah Shakir Covers 170 Average price/person USD 26 Typical dishes Shinwari Lamb / Chicken Tikka Address 673 Jumeirah St, Dubai wakha.ae

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NEWS

CHEFS

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INTERNATIONAL LEADING FEMALE PASTRY CHEFS CELEBRATED An all-female cast of the finest pastry chefs from the UAE, KSA and France took part in a roundtable discussion as part of an international showcase of French cream in Dubai, organized on behalf of CNIEL the French Dairy Board and the European Union The event, which was hosted at Le Meridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Marina, featured chefs from some of Dubai’s leading hotels and bakeries, including the QE2’s Ida Martin; Hind Al Mulla, founder and director of Home Bakery; and Aaliya Randeree, head chef and founder of Butterworks Bakery. The group also included UAE-based consultant chef Liz Stevenson and Saudi Arabia’s Najla Shamiri, while the 2017 French-based Pastry Chef of the Year, Chef Nina Métayer, completed the group. The roundtable topics discussed ranged from sustainability, sourcing materials and teamwork to creating the perfect taste with the finest ingredients and quashing an outdated negative myth of women chefs’ abilities in the kitchen.

Chef Stevenson said: “All individuals bring something different to the kitchen, regardless of gender. It should be about creating something that tastes good and is representative of the individual. There is still more that can be done to celebrate female chefs; however, looking around the table today we’re lucky to have a wealth of talented women performing at the very top

of their game.” This sentiment was echoed

by Chef Métayer who placed emphasis on teamwork in the kitchen. “It’s important everyone in the kitchen is working together and showcasing the very best desserts and pastries,” she said. “Male or female has no bearing for me, it’s all about creating the best possible taste.” The common Instagram term, ‘do it for the ‘gram’ was also discussed, with several chefs frustrated by the importance of something looking ‘Instagram ready’ rather than tasting good. Chef Martin added, “Taste is absolutely crucial in everything we do, it should touch every part of the soul. Of course it should look good, but this should never be sacrificed for taste.” Concluding the roundtable, MarieLaure Martin, international project manager at CNIEL said: “Today has been about showcasing the incredible recipes and talent of the chefs from both here in the Middle East and internationally. The flair and passion on show has been incredible and we have been treated to some of the best pastries in the world. Cream and butter are essential ingredients in every pastry, their rich flavor

NEW CHALLENGE FOR CHEF CRISTIAN LISCI, FOUR SEASONS CAIRO “Cooking has been a part of my life for the last 25 years. Like art, cooking provides me with a blank canvas to draw on and gain inspiration from,” said Chef Cristian Lisci. Speaking ahead of his new adventure at Bullona Cairo, he also highlighted the importance of all things nautical, saying, “I was born on an island and grew up in a port city, therefore I’m a lover of the sea and all its mysteries.” Chef Cristian brings more than 25 years of culinary experience to his new role as head chef at the restaurant, which is located in Four Seasons Hotel Cairo Nile Plaza. By the age of 14, already aware that his purpose in life was to become a chef, he moved to Genova to embark on his studies at Hotelier Institute ‘Marco Polo’.

Aged just 19, he achieved the impressive feat of becoming sous chef at Michelin Star restaurant Edilio in Genoa, after which he gained the position of Chef de Cuisine at

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Il Mirtillo restaurant, Megeve, voted best Italian Restaurant in France in 2000 by the Pudlo Guide. In 2015, the opportunity came along for Chef Christian to move to the Four Seasons Hotel Bahrain Bay’s Vento Restaurant as Italian sous chef, marking the launch of his career at the Four Seasons Hotels. In 2018, he embarked on the next chapter of his journey with the Four Seasons Hotels by joining the Cairo branch of Nile Plaza, taking the reins at Bella. With the launch of Bullona Cairo, Chef Cristian will be overseeing the culinary operations at the restaurant, working alongside master artisans to create an exquisite menu, while maintaining the traditional style and flavors of the venue. Chef Cristian’s culinary heritage, based on fish, seafood, pasta, fresh herbs and vegetables, is set to make him a perfect match for Bullona Cairo. fourseasons.com

and distinctive taste are what make the best pastries in the world! The versatility of the EU dairy ingredient is unique in that there is no other product on the market that comes close to duplicating the taste or consistency.”

As part of the roundtable event, the chefs were invited to whip up a storm and develop their own unique creations using the finest European cream and an assortment of other ingredients. The quintessential array of treats included: an ‘Authentically Emirati’ entremet with cardamom and cinnamon whipped cream by Chef Al Mulla; a chocolate and orange entremet with pistachio whipped ganache by Chef Martin; and a walnut and dark chocolate pavlova, honey and roseinfused whipped cream by Chef Randeree.

Chef Stevenson and Chef Shamiri showcased a dark chocolate cream, iced yogurt, nut caramel and black sauce, and a sticky date cake with salted caramel and infused Arabic coffee cream, respectively. Chef Métayer created a creamy grapefruit meringue and vanilla tonka Chantilly. filiere-laitiere.fr/en/les-organisations/cniel sopexa.com

IN BRIEF Passion is pivotal - Shadi Abu Khadija, president of the Jordanian Chefs’ Association

Chef Shadi Abu Khadija, president of the Jordanian Chefs Association (JCA) since 2018, is of the mind that, “Hospitality is more than what we do, it is who we are.” Chef Shadi’s love for the profession can be traced back to his childhood.

His passion led to him taking a variety of culinary postings, including roles at the Hard Rock Café Jordan and Planet Hollywood Riyadh. He has also been a judge at various culinary events, managing partner of Sekra Boutique Burger and executive chef of the Akkawi Group Jordan. The JCA organizes events and creates exposure for local culinary professionals. It also sets out to provide educational opportunities for Jordanian chefs. jca.jo

27TH EDITION

THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING PLACE FOR THE HOSPITALITY AND FOODSERVICE INDUSTRIES

27, 28, 29 May 2020 Seaside Arena, Beirut, Lebanon horecashow.com

TO SPONSOR, EXHIBIT OR VISIT, CALL +961 1 480081 OR E-MAIL CLIENTS@HOSPITALITYSERVICES.COM.LB

AN EVENT BY hospitalityservices.me

NEWS

SUPPLIERS

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MKN’S TACTFULLY-CLEAN APPROACH Elias Rached, Regional VP Middle East and Africa, MKN remarked on his latest promotion, the company’s latest projects and future innovation to be revealed this year

Elias Rached

“My recent promotion is a very challenging one, which will allow me to better immerse myself in the business side of the kitchen industry. This, for me, is truly an achievement, as it will afford me a more accurate overview to better create forward-thinking strategies for the company. Between 2019-2020, in collaboration with our loyal suppliers, worked on three significant projects in KSA for palaces and completed the new Jeddah Airport. In Qatar, we have new projects for Waldorf Astoria Hotel, Millennium Hotel and GW Marriott, in addition to Oasis Qatar. In Dubai, the company installed the biggest kitchen in the Middle East with the capacity of serving 100,000 daily meals using our Flexi Chef and Flexi-Combi, in addition to our horizontal equipment. We also are

working on the Marriot, Saint Regis, Hilton and Jumeirah Gate at The Palm. In Bahrain two private palaces were outfitted with all kitchens furnished by our Kuchenmeister made especially for our customers. In terms of new offerings, MKN is very mindful and aware of its clients’ needs and works tirelessly to ensure that novel innovation benefits them most. For that specific reason, the company always introduces new innovations every other year and this April we will do so at Gulfhost Dubai with our new Space-Combi for different categories. Furthermore, we will also introduce the newest version of Flexichef.

In conclusion I would like to say that MKN is always in competition with itself in terms of constantly trying to better its offerings and that goes a long way to insure healthy, smart and clean competition. Lastly, and more importantly, MKN works hard to constantly introduce new products for the sole purpose of evolving the F&B industry and ensuring the best kind of competition for our clients’ benefit.” mkn.com

RIYADH PLAYS HOST TO SAUDI MONIN CUP 2019 FINALS Bidfood KSA and Georges Monin SAS France have announced that Macario Jr. Dela Cruz from Gontran Cherreir is the winner of the Saudi Monin Cup 2019.

Bogdan Solonyi from Nozomi and Lester Macatangay from Gontran Cherreir took second and third spots respectively. The Saudi Monin Cup 2019 final was held in Okku, a fine-dining Japanese restaurant in Riyadh, with the event sponsored by the Saudi Arabian Chef Association.

Renowned chefs and beverage innovators Fahad Bukhari, Sanjin Dilaver and Jan Marc Menicable were on the judging panel.

Ten finalists competed live in front of the judges, preparing mocktails using the best of local and natural ingredients and/ or inspired by Saudi culture and cuisine.

Among the finalists were: Jhon Michael Beran from All in 7 cafe; Kevin Pereira from Kabsh Restaurant; Renante Cellan from Ritz Carlton Riyadh; Ariel Rogayan Crowne Plaza RDC; Rodel Bucayu from Vivienda Hotels and Resorts; and Hottensiah Kinyanjui from Nofa Resorts, a Radisson Collection Hotel. The winner and runners-up will be given direct entry into the finale of the Saudi Monin Cup 2020 edition, with the winner then gaining a place at the global edition of the Monin Cup 2020, which is held in Paris.

This initiative is aimed at rewarding the efforts of the 2019 winner and runners-

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up and to recognize their dedication to the art of bartending in the first-ever KSA mixology competition. Commenting on his win, Macario Jr. said: “For a moment, I felt like it was a dream. Then, hearing the applause for me, I realized it was actually a dream come true. It was a tense journey, but a truly rewarding experience as it helped me to push the boundaries of what I thought I could do.” Macario Jr’s winning drink was Red Maria, created using Monin Almond Syrup and Raspberry Puree, presented with watermelon, redcurrants and dried grapefruit. Hamza El Shaer, marketing manager, Bidfood KSA, commented: “We are very pleased with the overwhelming response we received to

the call for entries, which prompted Monin International to add Saudi Arabia to the global edition next year. This demonstrates the importance of such competitions, which provide young industry professionals with an unparalleled opportunity to explore their creativity and display their skills to the fast-growing food and beverage industry, as well as to promote the emerging talent in the Saudi culinary sector. The Monin Cup has earned its status as the most coveted title in the beverage industry and through this initiative, Bidfood KSA aims to inspire and encourage young talent to continue striving for ever-upward improvement in their careers.” monin.com/emea

HORECA NETWORK

REVIEW

A MAGNIFICENT HORECA KUWAIT

HORECA Kuwait celebrated its biggest and brightest edition to date at Kuwait International Fair, where it gathered more than 120 local and international exhibitors as well as over 8,000 professionals. Organized by Leader’s Group for Consulting and Development, the exhibition showcased the latest in food and drink, kitchen equipment, packaging and labeling, hospitality solutions, and a whole host of other products and services.

In addition to the exhibition area, numerous events and competitions

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The ninth edition of HORECA Kuwait, the country’s premier hospitality and food event, was hailed a huge success as it closed its doors on January 22. We take a look at some of the highlights

took place during the three-day show.

The Hospitality Salon Culinaire tested the skills of over 300 chefs during live and display competitions, judged by a jury of international chefs. Jadadeesan Alagarsamy and Alaa Kobeissi won the Kuwait National Selection of the World Pastry Cup, securing spots in the Middle East round to be held in Lebanon later this year, while the Sheraton Kuwait received the Golden Award for achieving the highest number of gold medals at HORECA. The Bed Making Competition, the Illy

Barista Competition and the Annual Hospitality Forum were action packed, attracting large audiences every day.

“HORECA Kuwait just keeps getting bigger, which proves how rapidly the hospitality and foodservice industries are expanding in the country,” said Mohamed Najia, executive director of Leader’s Group for Consulting and Development. “Next year will be our 10th anniversary, and we look forward to marking the occasion in a very special way.” horeca-kuwait.com

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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HORECA NETWORK

PREVIEW

HORECA DAMMAM SET TO DEBUT IN APRIL 2020 The first edition of HORECA Dammam will take place at Dhahran International Exhibition Center from April 14-16, 2020. We get the lowdown on what’s planned As Saudi Arabia continues to provide an attractive business landscape for investors, it comes as no surprise that HORECA is expanding its activities in the Kingdom. HORECA Dammam will be debuting in April, making it the HORECA network’s fifth show.

“Bordered by Bahrain, Iraq, UAE, Kuwait and Qatar, the Eastern Province is an oil-rich hub with a thriving tourism industry,” said Jad Taktak, general manager of Semark, the organizer of HORECA Dammam. Taktak explained that given the huge number of hotels and restaurants in the region, the Eastern Province provides the perfect stage to host to stage HORECA — a trade show dedicated to the hospitality and foodservice industries.

HORECA Dammam’s first edition is set to attract around 7,000 professional visitors and up to 80 exhibitors. In addition to the stands, the exhibition will host the Hospitality Salon Culinaire, a culinary event that has become synonymous with HORECA. At the salon, rising talents will compete head to head in a series of cooking challenges judged by an international panel of expert chefs.

“It goes without saying that we’re really excited about this new endeavor, which will be our second HORECA in Saudi Arabia after the annual show we have in Riyadh,” said Taktak. “There is a lot of interest in the event, and we look forward to welcoming visitors from across the region.”

Saudihoreca.com

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EVENTS

SEEN & HEARD

SHIC 2020 BRINGS TOGETHER HUNDREDS OF HOSPITALITY LEADERS The annual hospitality event followed a milestone year for Saudi Arabia’s tourism industry, after the launch of new visas which attracted 55,000 visitors in just one month The third annual edition of the Saudi Arabia Hospitality Investment Conference (SHIC), was held from 21-22 January 2020 at Riyadh Airport Marriott Hotel in Riyadh, bringing together more than 350 dignitaries, developers, investors, hotel owners and operators to discuss the future of the Kingdom’s ever-growing hotel market in light of the event's theme, ‘Transform Tomorrow’.

Hosted by Dur Hospitality, organized

by Semark and co-organized by Bench Events and MEED, SHIC 2020 featured more than 90 high-profile speakers from companies paving the way in Saudi Arabia’s hospitality investment industry, including the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage (SCTH), Saudi Arabian General Investment Authority, Al Hokair Group, AMAALA, The Red Sea Development Company and Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA).

The SHIC programme addressed various topics impacting the future growth of the hospitality sector, from asset management and franchising to sustainable luxury and artificial intelligence, case studies on mega projects, leadership panels, roundtables and a Three-Minute Pitch to Owners, during which leading brands presented their latest lodging products and loyalty programs. ahic.com/shic

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EVENTS

WHERE TO BE SEEN

GULFOOD

CALENDAR

FEBRUARY 16-20, 2020 DWTC, DUBAI

FEBRUARY 11 - 13 Feb. AMSTERDAM Global Restaurant Investment Forum – GRIF Bench Events grif.com 16 - 20 Feb. DUBAI GULFOOD Dubai World Trade Center gulfood.com

MARCH 4 - 8 Mar. GERMANY ITB BERLIN Messe Berlin GmbH itb-berlin.de 15 - 17 Mar. GERMANY PROWEIN Messe Düsseldorf GmbH prowein.de

Gulfood, the world’s largest annual food and beverage trade exhibition, and first major event of a transformative new decade for the industry, will mark its silver anniversary this year by uniting food businesses from six continents to rethink their output in an age of major innovation and evolution across the global F&B sector Ahead of Gulfood 2020, the UAE’s strategic position and status as a global trade hub has been underlined by the latest Gulfood Global Industry Outlook, produced by the show’s knowledge partner Euromonitor International, which forecasts the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region to experience ‘above’ world average compound annual growth across most F&B categories through to 2023.

The report, which is available to registered Gulfood 2020 attendees, reveals that during the next decade, world-class trade and commerce infrastructure in the Emirates can facilitate Asia Pacific’s emergence as the world’s biggest F&B consumer by 2030. The MENA region is also showing huge growth potential – both as a standalone market and as a trading corridor for business expansion inroads in Africa and Asia. “MENA has emerged, with greater distribution of wealth and rapidly developing infrastructure, consumers have greater access to a wider range of foods and beverages,” states the report.

MENA region to exceed global average growth With MENA forecast to outstrip the average global growth in seven out of eight sectors, poultry and seafood offer the biggest potential as both are predicted to grow annually by 5.2 percent according to the report. Beverages are forecast to record 3.6 percent annual growth, dairy 2.9 percent,

pulses, grains and cereals 3.8 percent, ingredients by 3.2 percent and confectionery and snacks by 3.3 percent. Only fats and oils fall short of the world average, but even this sector is forecast to record regional annual growth of 3.4 percent.

With the global food industry in the midst of transformation across the entire production chain, innovation will hallmark exhibitor promotions at Gulfood 2020. To ease business facilitation, the show is divided into eight categories: beverages; dairy; fats & oils; wellness & free from; meat & poultry; power brands; pulses, grains and cereals; and world food, which will feature 120 national pavilions with niche and specialty products in 2020.

Gulfood Innovation summit to champion food sector rethink Creativity is also expected to shine at the two-day Gulfood Innovation Summit, which will run under the ‘Rethinking Food’ theme and has attracted some of the industry’s most inspiring change-makers. The Summit will bring together influential chefs, food scientists, government officials and industry leaders at the forefront of innovation to discuss and shape the future of food and gastronomy. The two-day agenda will delve into topics revolving around the role of government in shaping the future of food, adapting to healthier, sustainable lifestyles, F&B marketing, tourism and retail, future food technologies and new halal markets. gulfood.com

31 Mar. - 2 Apr. JEDDAH, KSA THE HOTEL SHOW SAUDI ARABIA DMG Events thehotelshowsaudiarabia.com

APRIL 6 - 8 Apr. DUBAI GULFHOST Dubai World Trade Center gulfood.com 14 - 16 Apr. DUBAI AHIC Meed ahic.com 14 - 16 Apr. DAMMAM, KSA HORECA DAMMAM Semark saudihoreca.com 19 - 22 Apr. DUBAI ARABIAN TRAVEL MARKET Reed Exhibitions arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com

MAY 27 - 29 May LEBANON HORECA LEBANON Hospitality Services s.a.rl. horecashow.com

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

LODGING

MICRO HOTELS THE NEXT TREND Micro hotels are an example of minimalist living, a trend which focuses on utilizing smaller areas proficiently. They provide rooms with smart designs by making use of the space efficiently. Significantly, even though the rooms are compact, they are big on design.

Considered the ‘tiny houses’ of the hotel industry, micro hotels have been popping up all over the world, marked by their style, efficiency and price. Saqib Jafri, associate manager, Hotels MENA Region, for Colliers International, gives us the lowdown

The micro hotel concept is becoming popular due to changing trends in the travel industry. Travelers, especially the younger generation, are focusing on taking several short vacations rather than a single, long holiday in order to keep a healthy work-life balance. This shift in travel patterns requires hotels that are more budget-friendly and convenient to accommodate guests’ demands. The trend also has an appeal that stretches well beyond just millennials, with budget leisure travelers, backpackers and business travelers all attracted to such hotels. Micro hotels are usually found near or inside airports and in high-density areas, such as city centers.

The micro hotel’s characteristics The guestrooms of a micro hotel are small in nature, ranging from 10 to 20 square meters. Such a small space requires an efficient design to fit the essentials, including a bed, storage facilities and a bathroom, while optimizing all available space. A micro hotel usually provides various choices in the types of rooms available, including

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pod rooms, bunk rooms, single rooms and even double rooms. It is common for micro hotels to provide better quality beds, modern, as well as space-efficient furniture, and bathrooms with basic toiletries. In order to create an illusion of larger space, rooms can typically also include a large window.

As more hotels are utilizing the benefits of digital connectivity, micro hotels are also leaning toward this trend in order to enhance in-room experience for their guests, often providing them with the ability to control temperature, light and TV with smart technology.

These hotels tend to have larger public spaces to counter the compact private areas. The public spaces can be in the form of a large lobby, restaurant, bars, café, terrace lounges and common working areas. These spaces provide an ideal location for guest interaction and an opportunity for the hotel to offer localized experiences. In addition, some hotels also make activities such as yoga classes and destination-specific culture workshops available, enabling guests to enjoy authentic and local experiences.

Brands in this space Independent brands such as Yotel and Pod have operated in the micro hotel industry since 2007, located near airports and in city centers. Typically independent micro hotel brands, including Arlo Hotels (New

In collaboration with

York), CitizenM (Netherlands) and Hoxton Hotels (London) also have a presence in the market.

spaces in urban areas and often set out to offer their guests seamless experiences.

International operators such as Marriott, Accor and Hilton have dived into developing their own micro hotel brands after observing the rising popularity of these properties among travelers. Marriott’s micro hotel brand Moxy operates 50 properties in North America, Asia and Europe, with a further 112 in the pipeline. Hilton’s Motto is an upcoming name, with the brand’s first property set to open in Marylebone, London in 2020. Tribe, a midscale lifestyle Accor brand, is another micro hotel concept currently operating one property in Australia. Premier Inn’s economy micro hotel brand ZIP, meanwhile, features one of the smallest room sizes at approximately 10 square meters.

Industry players are increasingly opting to develop micro hotels, as they come to realize that the costs of operating these properties are lower than those of a

These brands have a common focus of providing guests with flexible, affordable, stylish and smart rooms. They place the emphasis firmly on making best use of

Benefiting developer and operator

International operators such as Marriott, Accor and Hilton have dived into developing their own micro hotel brands after observing the rising popularity of these properties among travelers traditional hotel in the same location due to their characteristically smaller rooms. They often also have just one restaurant or café, and overall, require less staff, bringing down labor costs. Another advantage for the owner is the profit obtained from the development of more rooms on a relatively smaller site.

Future in the GCC region International micro hotel brands such as Tribe by Accor and Motto by Hilton have identified potential growth for the brands in the Middle East market. Accor is eyeing urban locations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Bahrain for the expansion of its Tribe brand.

The growing popularity of micro hotels presents an opportunity for development in the city centers of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Jeddah and Riyadh. In Dubai, these developments could be in the downtown area and near or within the airport.

As Dubai’s market segment includes business, as well as leisure travelers, micro hotels could attract multiple segments with their stylish urban vibe. The room sizes in the region are expected to be on the larger side compared to those in Europe and America, due to guests’ expectations. colliers.com

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

LODGING

AIRBNB: ‘I AM PACMAN’

their own leisure pilgrimage. In addition, customers have the chance to pick the price that suits their budget.

Hotels’ Biggest nightmare

In just 11 years, Airbnb has rocketed to the top to take its place as a leading international provider of accommodation, with more rooms booked every night than the largest global hotel chains. Ralph Nader, CEO of Amber Consulting, looks at the consequences of this global phenomenon A report by Morgan Stanley found that 42 percent of Airbnb users have replaced a traditional hotel stay with one in an Airbnb property. And the stats tell us more…

• Airbnb offers listings in 191 countries, with its total number - 4 million - higher than the top five major hotel brands combined.

• Airbnb has raised more than USD 4.4 billion in funding to date and is currently valued at more than USD 30 billion.

• In 2019, the company expected 4.5 million guests to stay at an Airbnb on New Year’s Eve, up from just 540,000 five years earlier.

• Average rates for an entire home on Airbnb are the same or lower than the cost of a single hotel room.

• By 2020, Airbnb’s revenue is projected to be as much as USD 8.5 billion.

The secret recipe The main factor contributing to Airbnb’s success has been its ability to capitalize on travelers’ appetite for distinctive experiences on a low budget and offer them the opportunity to live like a local.

Whether staying in a castle in Switzerland or a Treehouse in Sri Lanka, Airbnb customers are given the flexibility to create

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HVS Global Hospitality Services estimated that hotels lose approximately USD 450 million in direct revenues per year to Airbnb. The numbers are expected to rise as competition increases, especially as Airbnb’s new expansion strategy gathers momentum.

Today, Airbnb has expanded its offering to include hotels, luxury properties, a loyalty program and an experiences portal for guests, shifting toward a holistic booking company.

• The Airbnb Plus will be inspected in person

by Airbnb for cleanliness, comfort and design and come with a dedicated support team

The main factor contributing to Airbnb’s success has been its ability to capitalize on travelers’ appetite for distinctive experiences on a low budget and offer them the opportunity to live like a local • Beyond by Airbnb is a standalone site based on the company’s acquisition of Luxury Retreats. It will offer high-end properties, including optional concierge services.

• The Superguest loyalty program will reward regular and highly rated customers.

Superguests will receive benefits, such as discounts, airport pickups, flight upgrades and lounge access.

In addition, Airbnb is moving into the hotel business, partnering with a New York developer to turn commercial properties in the city into a ‘new category of urban lodging’. The first venture involves converting 10 floors of the Rockefeller Plaza in Manhattan into ‘high-end, apartment-style suites’. The company is also partnering with Newgard Development Group to open a 48-story tower in downtown Miami called Natiivo that will offer 412 condos and 192 hotel rooms.

Natiivo will also open in other locations, including Austin, Nashville and Orlando.

Taking on Airbnb Eager to challenge Airbnb’s dominance and compete, traditional hotel brands have been expanding and innovating their business models and services.

Marriott International is the first global hotel chain to launch a home-rental business. The company has added a new product - ‘Homes and Villas’ - to complement the core offerings of Marriott’s hotel portfolio of 30 hotel brands, spanning 7,000 properties across 130 countries. Comprising 2,000 premium and luxury homes in more than 100 destinations across the US, Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America, they are expected to cost between USD 200 and USD 1,000 a night.

In a separate development, Hilton has built a slight digital advantage for itself over Airbnb. “We are innovating more than we ever have,” Hilton Hotel CEO Nassetta said, promising new tech offerings in the near future. The multinational partnered with Foursquare to create a new feature on Hilton’s application. ‘Explore’ will combine the best of the ‘local’ and ‘expert’ world, allowing guests to receive recommendations on food, nightlife, shopping and activities. The new feature is growing at a much faster rate than that

In collaboration with

Half-apartment, half-hotel and 100 percent ‘Instagrammable’ describes the new concept boutique apart-hotel

registered by Airbnb Homes initially, with 1.5 million bookings made yearly and about 1,200 host applications coming in per week.

Hotel, Airbnb or nothing Half-apartment, half-hotel and 100 percent ‘Instagrammable’ describes the new concept boutique apart-hotel. These boutique apart-hotels offer a stylish stay, complete with a large space, functional kitchenette and comfortable living area at an affordable price. Axel Hefer, the new CEO of Trivago, claims that these concepts will be the future of travel, since they combine the best aspects of Airbnbs and hotels, offering “the coziness and personality of a private home with the predictability and standards of a hotel.”

Ones to watch: • Locke Hotels’ pipeline features 22 projects planned for the coming years, in locations that include Dublin, Paris and Berlin. “The intention is to cover every major European city and get the company to $2 or $2.5 billion [in valuation]- then we’ll look at the US and Australasia markets,” said Eric Jafari, chief development officer.

• AKA, meanwhile, intends to expand its portfolio from 12 properties to 36 in the next five years, covering Paris, Rome,

Austin, Miami, Chicago, Prague and San Sebastian.

of 133 loft-like rooms with modular furnishings.

• Sonder now has 8,500 rentable spaces in 20 cities, up from 2,200 in August 2018 in 12 cities, alongside $400 million in projected revenue for 2019, a four-fold rise on its 2018 total.

• Wilde, a design-focused offshoot from the UK’s largest apart-hotel operator, launched its first property in March, which is located in London, and has another planned soon for Edinburgh.

• Lyric is another company that specializes in short-term apartment rentals and is already operating across 14 US cities.

• Purchased by Starwood Capital in 2015, Native now has 15 apart-hotels located throughout London, with projects in the pipeline for Glasgow and Manchester. amber-consulting.com

• Amsterdam is the location for the first Zoku hotel, which offers guests a choice

Average Room Price $119

$49

Hotel $172

Saved by Airbnb

Airbnb $38

$79

$57

$53

$22

$306 $240 $187

$220

$191

$217 $179

$193 $114

$93

$167 $110

$118

$114 $92 $65

New York

Sydney

Tokyo

London

Toronto

Paris

Moscow

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

Berlin

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BUSINESS

ARCHITECTURE & DESIGN

RENOVATE YOUR ROOMS WITH A NEW YORK TWIST

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Whether it’s a facelift or a fullfledged restoration, refurbishing rooms breathes new life and energy into a hotel and enables it to greet guests with a fresher look. Hospitality News ME spoke to Tracey Sawyer, of Krause Sawyer, a New York-based interior design agency dedicated to creating inspired concepts for luxury hotels, boutique hospitality groups and lifestyle brands, to highlight new trends in room renovation styles When to renovate To stay competitive and current with its competition, it is important for a property to make observations of competitor’s updates, keep a close eye on industry trends and renovate accordingly. It is also important that a property updates its rooms as frequently as its environment is changing. For example, if the city in which it lies is undergoing a cultural renaissance of sorts or a major modern installation, or a building is debuting in the area, that would be an ideal time for the property to follow in the footsteps of its surroundings. Typically, we are seeing a soft goods renovation every seven years and full renovation, including bathrooms, about every 14 years. The soft goods renovation serves to refresh the room and can include any additional or worn items, with casegoods typically remaining. It is important at the seven-year renovation to select the most impactful moments that will reshape and refresh the guestrooms most efficiently. If a hotel has recently renovated its rooms, it is important to keep up with industry news through various publications and attendance at major design and hospitality trade shows on an annual basis, to stay on top of the latest trends. Additionally, carrying a budget for refreshing the styling between renovations cycles can help to keep the hotel and guest rooms up to date.

Be mindful of the location Location is a crucial consideration in our refurbishment themes. Inspiration

drawn from the people, landmarks and culture that defines a place often defines the overarching design theme entirely in many cases for our firm.

In the case of the New York Marriott Downtown, we drew inspiration from ‘the continuing line’, symbolizing the hotel’s place in downtown Manhattan, surrounded by history, the future and moments in time, continuously evolving, changing and moving forward. Preparing for an international project takes

The mix of new and old continues with the juxtaposition of a white entry portal, semiprivate screen walls, parquet flooring, a buffet counter with storage and stone inset back panels, computer ledge and panel molding walls ample research on both traditional and historic design and cultural tradition.

Customizing and personalizing details, in accordance with copious amounts of research, is of utmost importance.

12 room renovation trends 1. Patterned flooring (for example, parquet flooring or mosaic tile detail) 2. Opting for a neutral color palette that features natural textures and materials are both on trend and timeless in design 3. Large-format tiles 4. Biophilic design 5. Multi-functional workspaces (for example, standing or flexible desks) 6. Environmentally friendly features including LED lighting, heat-saving technology and the use of natural, eco-friendly materials 7. Hard-surface flooring 8. Glass partitions throughout bathroom spaces 9. Open-floor plans that allow for optimal natural lighting 10. Bathtub conversions to showers 11. Natural materials never go out of style 12. Mirrors to enhance and reflect daylight and room light

Case study: New York Marriott Downtown For this renovation, the Krause Sawyer team chose a soothing neutral palette that reflects the colors of local modern and historical architecture, while sleek parquet floors call to mind an old-world elegance. The hotel’s location near the Battery Park waterfront is emphasized by bringing inside elements reminiscent of water and nature, creating an ambiance that serves as a calming oasis away from the bustle of the Financial District.

The room interiors are highlighted by refined details like wall panel molding and luxe parquet flooring throughout.

Carpet tiles lie at the bedside and living area, visually creating a continuous line within the space. Sectional sofa sleepers with pillows and side tables lend a cozier, home-like feeling to the rooms, while dark paint around the windows emphasizes the natural light pouring in. In the hotel’s suites, paint-applied decorative molding, with inset custom sculptural artwork, adds visual interest and depth. A full-length mirror with wall hooks allows for casual open storage for coats or bags, and a stone console table with dark bronze metal frame and legs is an added attraction. In addition to the rooms and suites, Krause Sawyer has also redesigned the Concierge Lounge, featuring a new marble-look entry portal. Panel molding and integrated millwork surround columns, creating an intimate atmosphere for the 75 seats.

Axminster carpet grounds semi-private screen wall panels in wood and steel.

The mix of new and old continues with the juxtaposition of a white entry portal, semi-private screen walls, parquet flooring, a buffet counter with storage and stone inset back panels, computer ledge and panel molding walls. The furnishings are monolithic and natural, featuring casegoods with warm, elegant and easy soft goods. Separation of the long space is accomplished through a variety of seating, differing table heights and custom-tailored furniture.

In the elevator lobbies, Krause Sawyer continues the combination of classic and contemporary, with fresh wall sconces, sheer Roman shades and upholstered benches set beneath modern artwork. krauseSawyer.com

About Krause Sawyer Krause Sawyer is a boutique design studio that creates thoughtful, inspired interiors for hospitality and travel. It brings a unique problem-solving approach and inherent sense of style to hospitality projects, ranging from global brand prototypes to independent luxury hotels. The Soho-based hospitality design firm was founded in 2010 by Tracey Sawyer and Kajsa Krause, both internationally accomplished designers. Its portfolio includes New York Marriott Downtown, Canopy Atlanta Midtown, New York Laguardia Marriott, Westin Times Square and W New York, along with others.

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

EYE ON

In collaboration with

ARMENIA In recent years, Armenia has become one of the fastestgrowing tourist destinations in the region, with the number of arrivals increasing on average by 15 percent to reach around 2 million in 2019. Hovsep Patvakanyan, economist-consultant at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in Armenia, shares his insight, while highlighting the potential of this gem, situated between Asia and Europe

The year 2020 is one in which Armenia is expected to move into the spotlight, as budget airlines Ryanair, Wizzair, Transavia, Airbaltic and many more launch cheap flights from various countries, including Austria, Lithuania, Italy, Greece, Germany, Latvia and France. Tickets are priced competitively, starting as low as EUR 35 for a round trip.

Early predictions suggest an additional 550,000 budget travelers are expected to visit Armenia in 2020 via the newly opened direct budget routes.

Eco-tourism, gastro and enotourism are amongst the recently developed and fastgrowing segments, attracting increasing numbers of visitors who are keen to not only tour the country’s ancient monasteries and castles, which date back to the fourth century, but also visit its many vineyards and gastro restaurants. One tourist spot generating

Tourism overview for the Caucuses Data reveals that the environmental strength of a country is directly related to tourism revenue ARMENIA

AZERBAIJAN

GEORGIA

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57

22

Safety & Security

34

35

29

Health & Hygiene

48

36

37

Human Resources & Labor Market

45

30

51

ICT Readiness

71

50

67

Prioritization of Travel & Tourism

71

49

41

International Openness

95

77

66

"Price Competitiveness"

81

31

66

Environmental Sustainability

102

81

42

Natural Resources

89

109

106

Cultural Resources

99

69

81

40

The 3 countries were not ranked against one another In this category. However upon individual comparison Armenia scored the lowest points in terms of having necessary and well-maintained infrastructure

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

To keep up with growing interest in Armenia, new tax regimes have been introduced for hostels, guesthouses, hotels and tour agencies. For facilities whose annual turnover is below USD 220,000, the tax payable is 5 percent of annual sales, while those with a turnover of less than below USD 55,000 are fully exempt.

Invest in Armenia, a site that serves as an intermediary for investors and businesses looking for funding, currently has information on several investment opportunities within the tourism sector. These include: • Ardvi Village Resort: https://bit.ly/2trtiQW USD 2 million • Sevan Dive Coffee House: https://bit. ly/2NBXNKV USD 191,000

Business Environment

Infrastructure

growing interest is the city of Gyumri, characterized by picturesque buildings of black stone dating back to the 19th century, delightful cafes and attractive guesthouses.

Getting to and from the city has been made much easier by the introduction of a new fast train service running between Yerevan and Gyumri twice daily.

• Suncastle Tourism Center: https://bit. ly/2RpAWmX USD 1.47 million • Dsegh Guesthouse: https://bit.ly/2TAa6uW USD 150,000 investin.am

BUSINESS

INDUSTRY

THE CO-WORKING SPACE TREND FAD OR FUTURE?

An IT programmer, a social media specialist and a graphic designer walk into a coffee shop… and now it’s a co-working space. If you don’t see the humor in this joke, you probably haven’t experienced a co-working space to the full. The concept has been around for a while now, but is still fairly new in the Middle East.

Nada Alameddine, partner at Hodema consulting services, fills us in on the details What exactly is a co-working space? It is basically working alongside other people in a shared area. Unlike regular offices, individuals don’t have to belong to the same company or organization, or even do the same type of work. But the concept goes far beyond that; it’s not only about having random people seated alongside each other, but also creating a sense of community and stimulating creativity. Working independently, but together. This global shift was made possible by portable technology and connectivity, allowing people to work anywhere with a laptop and a smartphone.

And it could be where the future of tech industries lies.

Working independently, but together Directly inspired by the coffee shop working culture, the first experience resembling coworking dates back to 1989, when Regus (the pioneer of flexible office space, currently known as IWG) launched its first structure in Brussels. Then, in 1995, a group of computer engineers created a ‘hackerspace’ in Berlin called C-Base, considered a pre-model of what exists today. The goal was to exchange ideas and codes with like-minded people.

Fast forward four years and the term ‘co-

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working’ started to spread across big cities in Europe and the US, thanks to American designer Bernie De Koven. New York firm Nutopia then opened its first ‘work club’ for the creative industry. In 2002, two Austrian entrepreneurs set up the first true coworking hub. Located in an old factory in Vienna, Schraubenfabrik houses freelancers, startups, consultants and even architects.

Back in the US, in 2005, the inventor of the Twitter hashtag Chris Messina started the Hat Factory in San Francisco. Then, in 2010, WeWork opened its first location and went on to create the largest footprint in the industry. However, the sector really started to boom in 2012, by which time an estimated 2,000 co-working spaces were operating globally. That figure surpassed 18,000 in 2019 (MarketInsightReports), accommodating nearly 3 million coworkers (GCUC). The trend is expected to

Most co-working hubs also provide a full range of business services, such as front desk, executive assistants, printing, access to meeting rooms and mail services continue growing; by 2022, the number of co-working spaces worldwide is forecast to reach about 26,000, a 42 percent increase from 2019, as explained in the Global Coworking Growth Study 2019, published by CoworkingResources, with New York and London leading the pack.

With over 80 million square feet of flexible workspace, the US drives the market in terms of real estate. The number of co-workers is forecasted to double by 2022, mostly made up of freelancers. The largest growth is expected in the Asia-Pacific region, led by China, according to the Global Coworking Unconference Conference (GCUC). Impact Hub, WeWork, Spaces, Knotel - you may have heard some of the industry’s big names.

Regus is more of a platform, while Talen Garden focuses on communities rather than spaces, but they all top the market although most structures remain independently operated. And there’s something for everyone: women-only spaces, yoga studios, meditation pods, babysitter bookings, in-house nutritionists and even recording

studios. These extra services make coworking spaces increasingly popular among women. The mantra is work well and do well.

The perks of co-working So what do co-working spaces have that regular offices don’t? Why are more and more people taking the plunge? First and foremost, they’re affordable, certainly cheaper than traditional offices, which require long-term contract commitments.

Users just rent what they need, from a desk to a whole floor. Most co-working hubs also provide a full range of business services, such as front desk, executive assistants, printing, access to meeting rooms and mail services. Secondly, they’re flexible. You need to change your plans at short notice?

Co-working spaces can quickly adapt to your needs. A typical structure includes a mix of open space and closed offices. This is particularly useful for SMEs, startups and entrepreneurs with limited resources. Thirdly, they favor networking. Seating next to other people all day can lead to fruitful interactions and exchanges of ideas and skills, and can even start collaborations. Tech experts, writers, designers, artists, consultants and entrepreneurs are all mingling over a cup of coffee. Millennials, who now make up the largest crowd of co-workers (most of them are under 40), have gotten used to maintaining their network with a constant eye on career opportunities. And finally, coworking spaces provide support. Some hubs offer training and community events; some of them tailor their events to SMEs, with incubation programs and business clinics.

Surveys show that co-working reduces

In collaboration with

The idea of communal space, as well as the importance of networking is still new and has to find its way into people’s working habits

specific timings. One Space Dubai is also unique, as it offers all the usual services free of charge for those looking for a job.

loneliness and boosts motivation.

In recent years, the flexible office trend has finally caught the eye of big companies, and they’re seeing how they, too, can benefit from the co-working revolution.

If freelancers remain the main user group, they are now closely followed by company workers. WeWork statistics show a 90 percent increase in the number of companies and a 360 percent increase in members from companies making use of WeWork’s services in 2017. These firms included global players like Microsoft, Spotify, Pinterest and HSBC. Facebook has launched its first-ever accelerator - LDN_LAB - and Google Campus offers workspaces to its 22,000 members. The co-working business has become a key growth driver within the office market, as more and more corporate employees jump on the co-working bandwagon. The only downside is for independent solo developers setting up their co-working space. Making your structure profitable can prove to be a challenge, with rent being the main financial burden.

Late bloomers The co-working trend is finally picking up in the region, after years of lagging behind the rest of the world. Even Dubai, which is usually one of the global trendsetters, has had a lethargic approach to the concept.

This slow penetration rate has multiple explanations. In the Gulf countries, restrictive regulations and a complex licencing system had deterred foreign investors until recently.

However, the authorities are now relaxing the process, resulting in an influx of new operators. Dubai Blink, the B2B smart

commerce platform developed by the Dubai Airport Freezone Authority, which allows global companies to connect and trade via Dubai without having a presence on the ground, is set to boost the demand for coworking spaces, according to Colliers.

Local players are also finally understanding the potential profits. Dubai currently has over 50 co-working locations, which represents a 130 percent rise since 2015. In total, the city has more than 650,000 sq ft of flexible and coworking space, the largest one being the Dubai Technology Entrepreneur Campus (DTEC). As Dubai’s rents continue to fall,

In recent years, the flexible office trend has finally caught the eye of big companies, and they’re seeing how they, too, can benefit from the co-working revolution large spaces that landlords are struggling to lease make great co-working opportunities.

Newcomers offer hybrid hubs – with a mix of open spaces and private offices – to cater to SMEs, freelancers and larger corporations simultaneously. The idea of communal space, as well as the importance of networking is still new and has to find its way into people’s working habits. Some concepts are standing out though: Letswork is an app connecting users, with more than 20 workspaces across the UAE via a single membership. Its 2,500 members get to work from hotels, cafes, co-working spaces and venues with access to unlimited hot drinks, WiFi, free parking and meeting rooms during

The same slow reality check is happening in Saudi Arabia, where flexible offices are only just starting to sprout up. This presents a good business opportunity, supported by the country’s Vision 2030 to diversify the economy, according to PwC’s report ‘Coworking space in Saudi Arabia: The promise and the potential’. The entrepreneurship scene is still nascent in Egypt and Jordan as well. The first hub opened in Amman in 2012 and in Cairo in 2007, with the nonprofit initiative Rasheed 22. District Spaces, 302Labs, Almaqarr, IceCairo, and Startup Haus Cairo then followed suit. The authorities are now supporting the idea, with the EgyptInnovate website and the number of spaces across the country has topped 100.

Unlike its neighbors, Lebanon has been familiar with the entrepreneur’s habits for some time. Most freelancers are regulars in coffee shops across Beirut, and several coworking concepts have opened their doors, boosted by the implementation of ‘Circular 331’ in 2014, which supports the growth of a ‘knowledge economy’ to drive innovation.

While AltCity focuses on start-ups, Antwork, which has three locations in the country and one in Limassol, Cyprus, offers a work cloud, allowing users to benefit from a list of productivity tools, access to facilities using the IoT app, community programs and a private sharing cloud. Beirut Digital District (BDD), launched in 2012, hosts around 50 companies active in the ICT, digital and creative sectors. It is also home to startup accelerator programs, such as Berytech, the UK Lebanon Tech Hub and Speed@BDD. Cerviced provides more high-end services, such as a trilingual receptionist and an inhouse IT team. Creative freelancers can also go to The Submarine, an art and designoriented work and event space. In countries like Lebanon, where workers experience power and internet cuts on a daily basis, coworking spaces allow access to more reliable infrastructures. And if you haven’t found what you’re looking for yet, just log onto the coworker website, where you’ll be one click away from thousands of flexible offices across the globe. hodema.net FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

TECHNOLOGY

RATE PARITY OR DISPARITY? RECOMMENDATIONS…

If rates on your own ‘Best Rate Guaranteed’ website are higher than those available on OTAs’ websites, customers might lose confidence in your firm

Rate disparity might be a complex issue, but it can cause a customer to lose trust in your company and, as a result, impact your bottom line, which means ignoring it isn’t an option.

Serge Chamelian, managing partner of h-hotelier, shows us the way, by explaining the different distribution channels from a practical perspective, and provides recommendations

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Nowadays, it is unusual to find rate disparity amongst the leading online travel agencies (OTAs), since most hotels work with a channel manager.

The disparity most likely to arise occurs when a promotion is set on one individual distribution platform. In fact, most disparities takes place on the B2B platforms, mainly when wholesalers (B2Bs) supposed to sell on a B2B basis allow rates to be leaked by thirdparty OTAs (B2Cs), which then sell the wholesale rates to individuals. Moreover, these OTAs buying their rooms via the wholesalers might also cut into their own commissions to undercut a hotel’s

rate as a way of attracting clients. Such activity has resulted in hotels offering different rates online without having any control over them. The problem has become so pronounced that one of the largest wholesalers - ‘hotelbeds’ - publicly announced recently that it had stopped working with booking sites which were breaking hotel distribution rules.

The illustration below allows us to identify both types of customer groups - B2B and B2C - with a detailed definition of the terminology identifying the various distribution channels to help avoid confusion:

In collaboration with

TRAVEL OVERVIEW

• GDS (B2B), or global distribution system providers, such as Galileo, Sabre and Amadeus, are large computer networks that pass hotel inventory and rates to travel agents and travel sites. Other travel segments, such as rental cars and airlines, also use them and they are additionally the main platform for the airline Industry.

• CRO (B2C), or the central reservation office, is a system that allows reservation agents to receive reservation requests by phone and to handle them immediately.

CROs display availability of hotels and allow reservation agents to find a suitable property easily and quickly for a client they have on the phone.

• Consortia (B2B) are associations or marketing organizations which link together small-to-mediumsized independent travel agencies to leverage purchasing power and marketing opportunities. The consortia rate is negotiated between hotels and travel agencies and is only available to contracted consortia.

• WBE (B2C), or a web booking engine, is an online application which allows you to choose from a wide range of travel products, such as hotels, air tickets and conference halls, and book them on the internet. One main advantage of the WBE is that it provides easy access to payment processes and purchase systems.

• Wholesaler (B2B) is a company that

operates as an intermediary between the travel product supplier and the retail travel agent in the marketplace, selling rooms in bulk.

• TA (B2C) or travel agents are licensed travel product retailers that provide travel information, reservations and other forms of assistance to consumers and groups in making travel arrangements.

• A channel manager is a cloud-based channel management solution that enables you to manage your online distribution with ease from one place. It provides a live, two-way connection to each of your OTAs with a unique, pooled inventory model.

• CRS (B2B), or central reservation system, is a type of reservation software used to update and maintain information about a hotel on its inventory and rates, so that properties are able to manage guest reservations and related processes in real time. These reservations are managed across a multitude of distribution channels, such as thirdparty booking websites, direct internet booking engines, the GDS, wholesalers and more. A CRS centralizes the data from the property management systems, distribution channels, call centers and phone reservation systems used across one or many properties.

Rate disparity affects customers’ trust in your company and your bottom line.

On the one hand, if rates on your own ‘Best Rate Guaranteed’ website are higher than those available on OTAs’ websites, customers might lose confidence in your firm and believe that OTAs are offering discounted prices. Equally importantly, when OTAs offer lower rates on their sites than your rate on the brand.com site, there is no incentive for customers to book directly with you, despite the fact that you are still paying commission to the agencies.

To prevent or minimize rate disparity, it is critical that you monitor your rates across all of your distribution channels: • Seek the advice of hospitality professionals to identify a leakage • Invest in technology that improves your administrative efficiency since rate disparity occurs due to human error • Use this technology to keep track of your own daily rates, since you will want to make sure you comply with all of your distribution agreements • Take ownership of the contracts for the B2B platforms • Implement a channel manager to avoid forgetting to revise OTA rates during an update or accidentally leaving old rates on certain sites • Offer slightly lower rates on your own website in order to increase direct bookings; perhaps giving the same rate, but with a supplement h-hotelier.com FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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ADVERTORIAL

BUSINESS

9

NIGHTLIFE

KINGS OF

NIGHTLIFE In Beirut, trends come and go on the club and bar scene in the same amount of time it takes to shake a cocktail. Properties need to be refreshed, neighborhoods are hot - and then not - and then there are the trends in people's tastes, like whisky versus rum. Not many moguls are able to ride the waves smoothly enough to stay in business.

We catch up with six heavyweights who have dominated the scene and are here to stay

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

Charif Doumit

Jad Abou Jaoude Managing Partner Addmind Group

CEO / Owner Doustar s.a.l. and Doupont s.a.l.

Number of years in the role

Number of years in the role

20

More than 20

Bio

Bio

A leading restaurateur, a proponent of lifestyle and an avid entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience.

Graduated from the Swiss Hotel Institute of Montreux in Hospitality Management

Charif Doumit, is the owner and CEO of Al Mandaloun Group, a family institution that has been a powerhouse in the restaurant and entertainment sector since 1974.

Doumit has been the driving force behind all of Al Mandaloun outlets.

Born and raised in Lebanon, he holds a bachelor's degree in architecture from ALBA (Académie Libanaise des Beaux-Arts). His academic background in design, combined with his passion for food, music and hospitality, enabled him to rethink and shake up the rules of nightlife entertainment by launching the groundbreaking Mandaloun Night Club, and from there he boldly moved on to establish all of the other breakthrough Al Mandaloun concepts.

First job in the hospitality industry

Mark Chehade CEO MEC

Manager of Bamboo Bay Jiyeh Lebanon

Number of years in the role

Names of venues owned and managed • Bar Du Port - Lebanon • Brut-Riyadh-KSA • Caprice Ltd. - Lebanon • Clap - Lebanon, Dubai • Drais’- Dubai-UAE • Indie - Dubai-UAE • Iris-Bahrain, Lebanon, Qatar, Abu

Bio

Dhabi UAE, Dubai-UAE

• Iris Cafe Jeddah And Riyadh-KSA • Iris Beach Club-Lebanon • La Mezcaleria-Lebanon, Dubai-UAE • La Plage-Lebanon • Mad - Abu Dhabi - UAE • Madame Bleu - Lebanon • Matto-Lebanon, Dubai - UAE • Paradise Beach - Dubai-UAE • Pompette- Lebanon • White Beach-Dubai-UAE • Zuruni-Lebanon International rankings WHITE Dubai: Voted World’s 16th Club, on DJ MAG Top 100 Clubs and earned a Top 16 spot in the world, up four places from last year’s number 20.

20 Marc Chehade entered the Lebanese F&B industry in 2000, when still fairly young and studying for a civil engineering degree at LAU. At this time, the outlets that were attracting the crowds were few and far between. Being a nightlife enthusiast himself, he decided to set up a company called Managing and Engineering F&B Concepts (MEC) and, as CEO, opened the first bar in Monot Street, named Rounders, that same year.

First job in the hospitality industry Owner of Rounders Pub - Lebanon

Names of venues owned and managed • Escobar - Lebanon • Lock Stock - Lebanon • Stairway - Lebanon • Kaffeine - Lebanon

First job in the hospitality industry CEO and Owner of al Mandaloun Night Club

Names of venues owned and managed • Al Mandaloun Night Club - Lebanon • Al Mandaloun Café - Lebanon • Al Mandaloun Pâtisserie - Lebanon • Al Mandaloun Grill - Lebanon • Al Mandaloun Sur Mer - Lebanon • Kahwet al Mandaloun - Lebanon • Al Mandaloun Beach Club - Lebanon • Al Mandaloun - Lebanon • Le Beach - Lebanon • Al Mandaloun Waterfront - Lebanon • Le Trottoir de Paloma - Lebanon

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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BUSINESS

NIGHTLIFE

Chafic el Khazen CEO Sky Management Holding

Number of years in the role 14

Bio

Rabih Fakherddine

Founder and Co-owner La Macumba SARL – Elefteriades Productions

CEO 7 Management

Number of years in the role

5

21

Chafic el Khazen studied economics and political science in the US and moved back to Lebanon to work in the family business. However, it was a very corporate job that did not fit his personality, since he is extremely energetic and always on the go. So, he decided to team up with some friends and opened the first SKYBAR afte noticing that Lebanon had no rooftop concepts. It was a small format then, with a loungy feel that catered around 400 clients. Following its success, he felt confident he could could take the brand to a larger scale venue. He moved SKYBAR to a bigger location capable of accommodating 2,000 guests and transformed it into a club. The rest is history.

Bio

Names of venues owned and managed • SKYBAR Beirut - Lebanon • O1NE Beirut - Lebanon • SAX Beirut - Lebanon • La Crêperie - Lebanon • SKY2.0 Dubai - UAE

Founder and Co-owner of the club Amor Y Libertad

International rankings SKYBAR was often featured as one of the best clubs in the worlds in prestigious publications such as Conde Nast Traveler, Vogue, GQ, Harper’s Bazar, DJ Mag, Time, Forbes and in broadcasts on: CNN, TF1, M6, BBC etc.

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Michel Elefteriades

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

The Beirut-born Greek-Lebanese music mogul, artist, producer, public figure and businessman is a modern day version of a Renaissance man. He is notorious around the Arab World and beyond for his eclectic style and creations, songs, music videos, documentaries, books, musicals and plays, paintings, sculptures, the Mediterraneo Byblos Int'l Festival and touristic projects in six countries.

He studied Fine Arts and Advertising in Nantes, France and holds a Master’s degree in Graphic Design and Communication Arts from the Lebanese Academy of Fine Arts-ALBA.

First job in the hospitality industry

Names of venues owned and managed • Amor Y Libertad - Lebanon • MusicHall - Lebanon • MusicHall Dubai, UAE • MusicHall Jeddah, KSA • B By Elefteriades - Lebanon • Elefteriades Park - Lebanon International ranking • MusicHall Beirut: Winner of the “Best live music venue” of the Time Out Beirut Nightlife awards 2012 • MusicHall Dubai: Winner of the “Best live music venue” of the Time Out Dubai Nightlife awards 2016 • B By Elefteriades: Nomination for the “Mediterranean Cuisine Award” of the 2020 World Luxury Restaurants Awards number 20 & top ranked on restaurants review sites

Number of years in the role Bio A strong example of young entrepreneurship on the rise, his visionary approach and careful study of the F&B market in Lebanon and the MENA region helped him to operate more than 10 current existing top brands within the entertainment industry.

The company is now present in Lebanon, UAE and Syria. Within the pipeline of projects exists an expansion plan into Egypt, KSA, UK and Greece, not only through existing successful brands, but also by introducing new concepts into the market.

First job in the hospitality industry Horeca manager for the Levant region at British American Tobacco

Names of venues owned and managed • Seven Sisters Dubai, UAE • Antika Bar Beirut, Dubai & Syria • Feb30 - Lebanon • Raii Club - Lebanon • Kahwet Beirut - Lebanon • Latifa Bar - Lebanon • Super Snack EL Kbeer - Lebanon • Soon, we will be introducing Antika Bar Doha, Cairo, KSA, Amman, Greece & two new concepts, Bait, Studio 30 & Nox

International ranking • Best Rooftop Bar in Dubai 2019

by Fact.

• Dining Awards Dubai & Best Concept Creation Award for Seven Sisters and Feb30 Beirut

Selim Ghanem

JADE

Owner Standalone Management Group

CEO & Founder / Resident DJ Factory People

Managing Partner Blue Note Café

Number of years in the role

Number of years in the role

Number of years in the role

3

15

33

Bio

Bio

Bio

With 20 years of experience in the F&B industry, operating leading nightlife venues in Lebanon and the UAE, Selim Ghanem had one vision and one goal - to build an iconic venue with an unorthodox design that would rise from his hometown and expand globally. His journey began part time during university days and evolved to become full time after his graduation with a Masters in finance. He never ceased to exercise hands-on operations, perfecting the details.

“It is an innate drive... I cannot rest until I ensure that there are no compromises in the operation, and this has been picked up by my team; it’s contagious,” he says.

Hailing from Beirut, Jade quit his engineering job in 2003 to focus on his band Blend, then got into DJing and opened the legendary club/ concert venue The Basement in 2005, where he started inviting renowned international artists to regularly perform and host workshops. After joining Clique Bookings agency in Berlin, he became one of the Middle East’s most active and most exported DJs. Today, he runs two of Beirut’s most successful clubs, The Grand Factory & AHM; each with specially designed and curated events catering to different genres, from house to techno, disco to pop and oriental to afro. In addition to his entrepreneurship and music career, Jade is at the helm of a portfolio of companies such as Clap Clap, a creative studio that is at the heart of Factory People, The Lick Record Store, Dark Matter tattoo parlor, and Riverside Studios in Berlin. As a producer, he was first known for blending oriental with cutting edge electronic music.

Khaled Nazha has been serving as VP of the Syndicate of Owners of Restaurants, Cafés, Night-Clubs & Pastries in Lebanon since 1999 and has been a key player and activist in the development of the sector.

Among many other establishments, he founded the Blue Note Café, which has since hosted 100 Int'l jazz artists and was a booster for countless local talents.

He is also a developer and operator of numerous leading F&B outlets locally and internationally, such as Dany’s, Main St and Locale.

He has been a board member of the Ministry of Tourism's Advisory Board since 2004 and the National Recruitment Agency since 2005.

He represents Lebanon as the chairman of the International Relations Committee and is a board member of the Mediterranean Restaurants' Federation.

First job in the hospitality industry SKYBAR Beirut

Names of venues owned • ARTS Beirut - Lebanon • SPINE Beirut - Lebanon International ranking SPINE Beirut: Winner of the Best Overall Bar design in the world for the 2019 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards, a globally recognized competition dedicated to the design of food and beverage spaces.

First job in the hospitality industry Resident DJ at Babylon

Names of venues owned and managed • The Basement - Lebanon • The Grand Factory / Reunion / Soul Kitchen - Lebanon

• AHM / Soul Kitchen Terrace Lebanon • Warehouse – D-Beirut - Lebanon • ANYA - Lebanon

International rankings DJ Mag top 100 Clubs 2019

Khaled Nazha

First job in the hospitality industry MD at the Blue Note Café

Names of venues owned and managed • Blue Note - Lebanon • Dany’s - Lebanon • Main St.- Lebanon • Locale - Lebanon Location of the venues Lebanon, United Arab Emirates, Greece

International ranking The Best of the Middle East, Guardian ; Perfect 100, Newsweek

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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FRANCHISING

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY

REPORT 2020 For almost a decade, Hospitality News ME has been covering the F&B franchise industry, making predictions and guiding you through the labyrinth of decision-making

New concepts on this list have always been linked to the latest fad or social media craze. Although some food trends have fizzled out, like poke bowls and rainbow cake pops, entrepreneurs are always on the lookout for that 'it' factor that will blossom into a full-blown franchising empire.

This year, global food trends have maintained their health-conscious approach.

In 2019 Whole Foods predicted food trends including a rise in CBD products, vegan meat and eco-conscious packaging – all of which have seeped into popular culture. Even established franchises like KFC have incorporated plant-based meat alternatives in their menus, indicating that even an oldschool chain has the capacity to innovate with the times. For 2020, the megagrocer makes predictions including an increase in regenerative agriculture (a type of farming that restores degraded soil), West African foods and plant-based meat products – all of which will undoubtedly make their way to a restaurant near you.

The Middle East market in particular has been volatile to say the least this past year and as competition grows, franchising remains the bedrock that people still cling to – a proven method of success. Although the market is saturated, new sectors of franchising are being explored that were once on the fringes, but have now taken center stage.

We continue the tradition of our franchise opportunity list with new concepts that are on the brink of stardom. And, for prospective franchisees looking for an investment, whether it’s an upstart or a tried and tested name, food franchises are still your best bet for a successful business.

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FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY REPORT 2020

54 CHAINS AND FRANCHISES VS. STAND-ALONE RESTAURANTS 58

MIDDLE EAST FRANCHISE MARKET OVERVIEW

60 POP-UP FRANCHISES MORE THAN A PASSING TREND? 62

SURVIVAL OF THE WINNING CONCEPTS

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HOSPITALITY NEWS 100 THE ONES TO WATCH

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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CHAINS AND FRANCHISES VS. STAND-ALONE RESTAURANTS From the consumer’s point of view, this provides the comfort of knowing what to expect, a sense of belonging and the ‘no bad surprises’ element. On the other hand, the very same thing that acts as the strength of a franchise - the standardization of service and the sameness of products is its shortcoming in the form of a lack of creativity innovation and passion.

The topic of whether Dubai has yet to establish itself as a true food-destination city is one that prompts animated discussion within the industry. Some experts think independent restaurants are at risk of falling into the standardization trap and losing that all-important passion for food. Daniel During, principal and management director of Thomas Klein International, looks at the pitfalls and how to avoid them One business model that seems to thrive in Dubai is the chain or franchised restaurant.

Think of your favorite restaurant outside of a hotel and the chances are that it has several branches across town, quite possibly one in every shopping mall.

The franchise model has several advantages for the investor/operator; it basically offers a restaurant ‘in a box’, meaning that everything from the interiors, menus and uniforms to the way in which it should be run has already been set in a series of corporate manuals. This model allows new outlets to be opened fairly quickly and with relatively low start-up costs. This has been a prime consideration for many investors looking to cash in on the boom years: rapid expansion in order to cater to what appeared to be never-ending demand.

But as we come back down to earth, it is clear that the franchise model has several drawbacks for the consumer; precisely because everything has been predetermined and standardised, there is little scope for individuality. Chains and franchises have, by definition, something inherently systematic, distant and corporate.

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A chain or franchise’s key strength is its sameness and relatively reliable quality from place to place. Standardization goes against creativity, passion and flexibility. Flexibility and creativity tailored to the guest’s whims and desires are what make the individual customer go from “the food was good” to

As franchises and chains menus are defined in head offices, sometimes distant from the day to day reality, it is difficult for franchises to respond to dynamic conditions “they went out of their way to please me”.

Applied passion and creativity are what make a customer travel kilometers to try a specific restaurant offering that something special.

In the real world, individuals want to visit local restaurants that provide unique and excellent food and service. It could therefore be concluded that the strength of large chains and franchises is also their weakness.

The core element of any F&B business is its product - its food. Its success or failure is in the hands of the people who purchase it, cook it and serve it. The USP is passion.

People Chains target the largest market, so individuality or anything beyond the confines of the operational manual is discouraged. Employees are trained to follow strict procedures, but in the process, they are discouraged from catering to individual customers’ needs as this would disrupt the flow.

It can seem tiresome to cater to individual needs, but it is hugely rewarding to the employee, the client and ultimately the business to provide a service and product that is truly appreciated.

Because everything is standardized, the staff and management employed are not allowed to contribute any form of personal input, and they cannot change anything or add a level of personal touch. This can be frustrating

for an employee with the motivation and the skill to excel, and it may increase employee dissent and turnover. Word of mouth is the most important marketing component of an independent restaurant and happy customers talk.

Happy employees are those who feel useful and can hone their skills to learn and grow.

Product As franchises and chains menus are defined in head offices, sometimes distant from the day to day reality, it is difficult for franchises to respond to dynamic conditions, these being seasonal or micro-demographic.

Individual outlet managers are prevented from adjusting the menu to take advantage of seasonality or market specials, even though the end result would likely see increased sales.

In order to guarantee product standardization, large chains supply semi-prepared products on a large scale, establishing central production areas that oppose the concept of freshness.

Additionally, to take advantage of economies of scale, many chains and franchises tend to use frozen produce purchased centrally and distributed globally. Sacrificing quality is therefore inevitable.

Not all chains use lower grade products or sacrifice quality during mass production.

However, they all distribute globally or at least regionally. Worldwide distribution has a direct negative impact on the local producers and increases airline/shipping traffic, thus affecting the carbon footprint.

More directly, it affects the consumer, who does not get the benefit of tasting local seasonal produce at its peak when it comes to flavor and textures. Take the small joint on the beach, where papa goes fishing at night so that mama can serve the freshest fish every day. There you have a product a franchise can never compete with. City chefs that are passionate about their food will go to the fish and vegetable market every morning and select what they judge to be best for their customers: the tenderest cuts, the ripest fruits, the freshest fish etc.

Franchises, on the other hand, offer the consumer the same ‘standard’ product

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pretty much the world over. Mediocre standard, I would say.

Passion Which takes us to another point: passion.

As mentioned, large franchises offer little or no incentive for staff to make suggestions on improvements, even though they are far more likely to spot issues than senior managers who aren’t out there waiting on tables. Franchisees and their employees are often forced to implement corporate standards without even considering whether or not these align with the local culture.

Being better means sticking to the corporate manuals. Individuality is discouraged and, in general, passion is dampened down in the individual; after all, how passionate can you be about doing the very same mediocre thing day in and day out knowing that the standard can be improved? The result is lower drive, lower motivation and passion, and less incentive to excel.

Since employees in the production chain are asked to conform to the norm, no creative chef will join a chain at store level. Stores can therefore only attract mediocre staff.

Mediocrity attracts mediocrity, and even if staff have the potential to ‘shine’ it is futile, since they are all paid the same wage and there is no encouragement to break away from the standards. The processes are so well established that everything is distant and impersonal, and staff cannot change anything or add their own flair, which ultimately makes them lose interest in what they are doing.

I firmly believe that without passion, anything in life, including restaurants, can never rise above mediocrity. Dubai has some highly successful restaurants that are built on passion. These good independent places are mainly cafes, however there is still place to grow in the fine dining scene.

They have owners who care about food and can often be seen waiting on tables and greeting customers. Inevitably, that welldeserved success has led to expansion and they are now on the verge of becoming too big for the owners to micromanage in the same way that they did before. The danger is that they fall into the standardization trap.

I was recently at one of these restaurants, which I love, and asked to have mashed potato with my main course instead of the accompanying fries listed on the menu. My server told me that I couldn’t have it as “it wasn’t in the computer”. I can’t imagine that happening a year or two ago, when that company had fewer outlets and the owner would make sure every customer was given an experience rather than a meal. But experience is another subject all of its own.

Once standardization starts to take over, some of that magic begins to evaporate.

Yet again, a franchise’s strength is also its weakness, and that weakness is the individual restaurant’s strength.

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The way forward There are several solutions to creating a reputable chain of restaurants with excellent food and service. When faced with expansion, it would be better to open unique restaurants, each of them with a personality of its own. An artist paints a different painting each time, yet his hand is seen on every one of them.

Give each one a different menu – even a different name – set it up, give guidance to the local team, but let the individual chef at the location run the show with passion. That model has worked well for Jean Georges Vongerichten, the renowned

Since employees in the production chain are asked to conform to the norm, no creative chef will join a chain at store level

enter a branch. The challenge is to make sure that it’s consistently excellent, not consistently mediocre.

Franchises in the Gulf are usually part of large conglomerations and are therefore managed in an impersonal corporate manner. At corporate level, the first step is to negotiate a certain degree of flexibility to adapt corporate standards to local requirements, taste and customs. In order to add passion and personality to your store, you also need to pre-establish systems that allow the right manager flexibility within the system – the ability to ‘bend the rules’ within set limits and go ‘out of the way’ to meet customers’ needs and wants.

chef-restauranteur. Vongerichten hires head chefs whom he trusts and give them relative freedom to improve or twist his own dishes, within guidelines set by him.

Each of his restaurants has a different menu, a different theme, a different feel.

However, the excellence for food is always there.

This set of rules will need to be negotiated with your franchisor and incorporated in the ‘corporate manuals’. If you don’t have the expertise, get a consultant to set up the major guidelines and negotiate with your franchisor on your behalf. Hiring the right individuals with personality and passion will complete the equation.

But you don’t have to hire a world-famous chef to have a successful restaurant, just teamwork, development time and passion. In larger corporations, where the investment comes from group level, there is the option to involve key managers and chefs in a joint venture. Giving them a personal stake in the business translates into a strong will for the individual outlet to succeed.

Finally, setting up a corporate culture that is equal parts individuality, passion and profitability will manifest itself in an improved bottom line and market longevity.

Some people argue that in hotels you find numerous high-quality restaurants that are not franchises or chains. While these restaurants are much better than chains, many are restricted by corporate constraints and overzealous executive chefs which often limit the personality, flexibility and creativity of the restaurant chefs.

It is also important to get line personnel involved, not just through incentive schemes, but by allowing them to make suggestions on how their jobs could be made easier. Incorporating the team’s ideas into the system makes employees feel important, as well as part of the restaurant and its success.

There is a lot to be said for franchises; if you are in an unfamiliar city and lost, with no one to ask and you don’t want surprises, you choose a franchise because you know that you will get consistency when you

What Dubai really needs is more standalone restaurants that are not as highly regulated by their landlords, allowing them the freedom to be as creative as they like.

More Dubai hotels should also be looking at leasing their premises to individual restaurateurs and chefs at reasonable prices. This will not only create more interesting and unique restaurants, but will also position the hotel as a food and beverage destination. thomaskleingroup.com

Modern. Armenian.

“I am first of all Lebanese but I am also really Armenian and I am proud of both origins‌ So Batchig is me.

This is the way I cook, the freshest and tastiest ingredients of the Eastern Mediterranean, the aromas of my grandmothers cooking, my favorite Lebanese dishes revisited. This is all I need: a charcoal barbecue, a wood oven, seasonal ingredients and old time classics.

For every day, every mood and every age Batchig has something to offer. I love this versatility.�

Aline Kamakian, owner and creator of Batchig +961 70 444 307

info@batchig.com

batchiglebanon

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MIDDLE EAST FRANCHISE MARKET OVERVIEW

Restaurants, like any other business, aim to adopt a model that enables them to make a profit and viably expand their interests in untapped markets and benefit from their profit potential. One model that has become increasingly popular as a way of achieving these goals is franchising. Abdul Kader Saadi, managing director and owner of Glee Hospitality Solutions, breaks down the regional market In layman’s terms a franchise is essentially a person or a company that is given the license to run a business under a franchisor’s brand name. Based on mutual understanding, the international retailer charges an upfront franchise fee, plus a royalty fee, from the franchisee who runs the business locally.

There are several models of franchising to consider, which include, but are not limited to: the master franchise model; joint venture model; company owned; and franchise model. Here, I’ll be zeroing in on franchising trends in the Middle East region, where the opportunities lie and which models have proven popular within the region, in addition to attitudes toward foreign franchises vs. local ones developing in the market.

The basics When analyzing franchising in the Middle East, it is important to have an overview of the pros and cons associated with this

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method of expansion. This will allow us to understand the reactionary trends better and assess why the market has evolved into its current stream of growth in relation to franchising. A lower-level capital investment, coupled with a greater brand presence and/or customer loyalty, is one of the most attractive factors of investing in a successful franchise. Simply put, investing in a wellknown foreign franchise can be far cheaper, in terms of startup and marketing, since the brand’s market popularity has already been established (vs. introducing an entirely new concept to the market). However, in terms of the franchisee, there is the obvious dilemma of sharing control with the master franchisor.

Regionally, there has been a big shift in the market toward homegrown concepts vs. acquiring ‘westernized’ franchises Additionally, there is also a restriction in innovation and being able to adapt to new market trends, should they arise. This basic franchising outline has prompted a question about where the current opportunities lie for both the new franchiser and potential franchisee; is it more viable to invest in a foreign franchise concept or develop and invest in homegrown ones?

The trends Regionally, there has been a big shift in the market toward homegrown concepts vs. acquiring ‘westernized’ franchises. While historically this wasn’t the case, preferences have changed as local markets have evolved and matured. Domestic consumers have now begun opting for local concepts, rather than larger franchises/outlets that simply copy-paste their offering without localizing the concept’s franchise outlet. Inversely, local homegrown brands have developed over the last 10 years and are growing regionally. They now possess the popularity and leverage to take their brand externally,

much like the American brands that were being imported via franchises 10 to 20 years earlier.

The opportunities Established franchises in the UAE are looking to grow regionally, with the opening of the Saudi market and Egypt, to a certain extent.

In terms of market potential, Saudi Arabia, for example, possesses the largest population in the Middle East (29m inhabitants). The Kingdom’s F&B market is valued at USD 45 billion, making it the biggest market in the region, and is currently predicted to grow by 6 percent over the next five years. Another factor to consider is the direction for which foreign franchises are being sought. Potential investors are now looking eastward to new markets like South Korea, for example, rather than eyeing the American-based market alone, as used to be the case. An example of this is the Korean fried chicken concept, which has done increasingly well worldwide.

Restaurants like Bon Chon, which has more than 90 locations in the US and more than 300 worldwide to date, illustrate this trend.

However, despite the many positives, a challenging market environment has also made it harder for restaurateurs to justify high franchise fees.

In summary, no single method of expansion is going to be a ‘magic pill’ that solves all your problems and brings only benefits.

Ultimately, analysis is key, and restaurants need to assess their specific factors, market considerations and opportunities to see whether franchising is the correct method for their concept. Marketwise, the region is growing and now, via its own local concepts, increasingly sits on the franchiser end of the spectrum. It’s imperative, therefore, to consider the pros and cons of expanding, rather than simply importing an external brand as a franchisee. This brings several new challenges to the table, but with a calculated level of risk and opportunity, allows the region’s franchising sector to potentially reach entirely new levels of growth. gleehospitality.com

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POP-UP FRANCHISES MORE THAN A PASSING TREND? others occupy free premises.

Many independent small brands owe their success to their pop-ups.

Popping up in Saudi Arabia

In the era of social media, zapping and ever-changing new trends, restaurant operators have a challenging time staying in vogue. Changing your décor, menu and vibe every other month to keep customers on their toes is a big ask for many venues and perhaps difficult to achieve for some. The growing trend of pop-up concepts, however, could be a way around the problem. Setting up a temporary restaurant may initially seem quite ambitious, given that it requires an upfront investment similar to what’s required for a permanent project, before closing down soon after. But don’t judge this book by its cover, as Nagi Morkos, managing partner at Hodema consulting services, explains Pop-up F&B venues are attracting thousands of curious food lovers around the world. For investors and chefs, they provide an opportunity to try and test new concepts and recipes, and for clients the chance to discover new flavors and dining experiences. Pop-ups have now become a familiar sight in Western countries, appearing during the holidays and sprouting up in hip areas. Some businesses build their own short-lived structure, while

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The concept of ‘permanently impermanent’ has recently arrived in the Middle East, where it’s been warmly greeted by noveltyseeking customers. But unlike in Europe or the US, most temporary venues have been set up by existing brands, either as branches or franchises. Both international and local brands have caught on to their potential and jumped on the bandwagon.

The concept dovetails especially well with Saudi Arabia’s ‘Seasons’ festivals. Launched by the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage to promote the

When Lebanese flagship AlFalamanki opened for Riyadh Season, 60 staff members came from Lebanon to manage the short-term venue Kingdom as both a local destination and a new touristic hotspot, the 11 events being organized across the country are proving highly popular. Riyadh Season, held between October and December, and Jeddah Season in the summer, attracted hundreds of thousands of visitors. Each Season features cultural events, entertainment, sports and F&B venues. Organizers bring cuisines from around the world, enabling Saudis to sample exotic flavors and experience new dining sensations. During the Riyadh Season, more than 31 food pop-ups opened across the city in dedicated zones such as Ad Diriyah, Al Murabba, Riyadh Boulevard and Batha. It was so successful that authorities extended it from December 15 to March. Last year’s Jeddah Season, attracted 157 F&B projects, including 13 opened by international names.

Al Balad, Obhur, the Waterfront, Al Hamra Corniche and King Abdullah Sports City were the favored hotspots. The authorities are hoping that the upcoming Sharqiah Season in the east of the country will be equally successful.

Same, but different Pop up franchises benefit from the same assets as regular franchises; the reputation of the parent company usually precedes it, thanks to locals who are familiar with international cuisine, meaning they can already account for half of the customers on opening day. Through the agreement, the franchisor also sends the franchisee everything they need to ensure setting up is done in accordance with the brand’s standards, from menus to furniture and ingredients that can’t be found in the country.

When it comes to HR, there are two options, the first of which is to hire staff locally. “The Saudi F&B staff is well trained overall,” said Mohammad Khojah, who runs the franchise of Beirut’s Iris Cafe and has pop-up plans.

But if you can’t find people for very specific positions, bringing staff from the parent company can be part of the deal. When Lebanese flagship Al-Falamanki opened for Riyadh Season, 60 staff members came from Lebanon to manage the short-term venue. For Khojah, a pop-up franchise faces the exact same challenges as a permanent branch. “The rules are the same, the only difference is the time limitation,” he noted.

The Saudi authorities, with an eye constantly kept on their ambition to turn the Kingdom into a top touristic destination, are lending a helping hand to local investors willing to open franchises. To attract tourists, you need to offer the right services, according to Khojah: “The authorities know it, and for Riyadh Season they helped the most prestigious global restaurant names to open in the capital,” he said. The event was, indeed, a name-dropping, fine-dining festival, from La Petite Maison to Nobu, Coya and Madeo. Star chefs also graced the event with their presence; Nobu Matsuhisa, probably the world’s most renowned sushi chef, came to Riyadh to open his pop-up restaurant, with sold-out reservations and a 10,000-name waiting list, following on from the success of another pop-up branch at Jeddah Season. La Petite Maison’s awardwinning Chef Patron Raphael Duntoye also made the trip, while Spago’s chef

In collaboration with

Wolfgang Puck cooked his signature dishes. And local investors certainly aren’t skimping on budgets to bring over popular establishments; the Falamanki pop-up venue was sold with a USD 1 million entry fee as a manchise – where the parent company manages its own franchise – and a 5 percent management fee for six months. The concept scored so big that the agreement was renewed for an additional three months, without extra fees, but with royalty and management fees increased to 10 percent. On the back of its success to date, the brand is looking to launch a full-fledged Al-Falamanki outlet in the coming months, according to Tony Ramy who is behind the concept.

Ramy now has his eyes on Qatar, where Al-Falamanki is opening in April.

Riyadh Season might be coming to a close, but investors and the authorities are certainly not resting on their popup laurels. The festivals of 2020 are fast approaching, beginning, on March 1, with the Eastern Region Season in the Sharqiyah area, centered on the city of Dammam.

Many international and regional brands could win big, with pop-up entry fees sometimes reaching the amounts required to open a longer-term franchise. Against that backdrop, some Saudi homegrown

flagships have decided to open their own pop-ups without the assistance of a franchisee. One of them - Shababik - a landmark venue in Jeddah, managed its own short-term version of its lounge cafe in Al-Bujairi during the Riyadh festival.

Other F&B professionals are making the most of the pop-up success by going beyond the franchise and manchise, and opening a branch. In some instances,

Riyadh Season might be coming to a close, but investors and the authorities are certainly not resting on their pop-up laurels regional franchise experts have been called into the country to manage ephemeral venues.Tony Habre is one of these franchise connoisseurs. In Lebanon, he owns Addmind (Clap, Iris, Bar du Port, among others), and sold Iris Café as a franchise in Jeddah and Riyadh. However, in a series of separate developments, Addmind took over the management of other pop-up venues in the kingdom.

Habre believes that the best scenario is a joint-venture format with local partners.

For many foodies, the fact that these concepts are short-lived is a major part

of their attraction. The feeling of being among the lucky few who manage to get a table and enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime gourmet experience can be thrilling. “It comes to your door,” Khojah said. For franchises, the pop-up format has a major advantage which is to enable them to test the waters, to see if the concept is bankable and gauge the market’s response, before deciding whether to open a permanent venue and making a much bigger investment. “Pop-ups are a great way to get a real taste of the experience,” said Ramy.

Khojah decided to capitalize on the Spanish Super Cup event and try a new Asian and Mediterranean fusion concept from Dubai called Play. For four days in January, Spain’s top soccer teams traveled to Jeddah to compete against each other.

“The venue remained open for 10 days during the event,” he explained. “Eventually I would like to see if I can turn it into a permanent structure.”

Ramy shares the view that pop-up franchises are a good barometer of market potential. “The future appears to be very promising for pop-up franchises in Saudi Arabia,” he concluded. hodema.net

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SPECIAL REPORT

FRANCHISING

SURVIVAL OF THE WINNING CONCEPTS

Kaffeine

Marc Chehade

Since entering Lebanon’s F&B industry 20 years ago, Marc Chehade has become one of the country’s most successful developers and operators of serial concepts.

Here, he talks to HN about how he’s accommodating the current challenges and looking at possible strategies for future expansion How are you developing your current offerings?

Escobar St. Nicolas

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

We haven’t made many changes in the last year to our concept portfolio, due to the current situation in Lebanon. However, we are still going strong with the Escobar brand and now have seven branches, the most recent of which is located in Faqra. The new outlet opened summer 2019 and this year will open in summer and winter. Expansion has become quite difficult in Lebanon’s F&B market, again,

Escobar Hazmieh

due to the current situation, which is causing local owners to focus solely on maintaining their operations and even scale down in other, worse-affected areas. As a result, consumers who had gotten used to experiencing new concepts on a regular basis are now instead revisiting others they have tried and enjoyed, such as Lock Stock, Escobar and Kaffeine.

What plans do you have for regional expansion?

This year, we are looking to sell some of our existing franchises to interested regional partners. We plan on targeting companies with several F&B concepts in their portfolio who would like to diversify their offerings.

In this context, we are considering offering just our Kaffeine and Escobar concepts. The advantage the latter offers is that it could be adapted for launch in different Arab countries, as a stand-alone restaurant, for example, or a smoothie/fresh-fruit cocktail bar and even a combination of both. Think of it as a local

Kaffeine

What are some of the most noticeable changes you’ve witnessed in consumer behavior?

Escobar Broumana

What have been the biggest challenges of the past year?

concept similar to Tex-Mex Restaurant, which has branches almost everywhere. Once we make a deal to franchise, then discussions on whether to co-manage or have full management can take place. it’s important to have people from Lebanon in key positions, such as manager and head chef, in order to ensure the quality and service of the concept itself. When a small number of outlets have been launched abroad, then and, only then, will we consider developing other concepts.

One problem we are facing at the moment is an inability to plan ahead, so instead, we’re optimizing daily operations at our existing outlets. In terms of sales, our brands have experienced a drop of 30 percent. Worse still, the cost of goods has risen 30 percent, due to the unofficial rate rise for the US dollar, which is almost wiping out our profit margins. It’s important to highlight that despite the hits we have taken, we are one of the very few F&B companies that have chosen not to raise our prices and readjust our profit margins based on market fluctuation. However, if the situation continues to deteriorate, we will be forced to increase our margins by about 10 percent simply to cover operational costs, break even and avoid incurring additional losses.

We’ve noticed that our F&B concepts with lower price ranges are witnessing more business. One model we introduced at our Mar Mikhael outlets is a ‘happy hour’ system for various food and drink options. This kind of micro-behavior has significantly changed the choices consumers are making and the time they’re spending at a venue. In fact, I estimate that around 80 percent of our sales are made during these hours. One other interesting issue we recognize is that customers who would usually go for premium brands are opting to enjoy other less expensive offerings as these can be consumed in higher quantities. When it comes to food, sharing has become the trend for consumers enjoying a meal outside of the home.

One last concept that has been trending for a number of years and has become increasingly popular is housing a number of F&B concepts under a single roof. To give an example, customers who visit Kaffeine have the luxury of enjoying a coffee house and a full-menu restaurant, including a sushi station. In addition, we also now offer daily prepared dishes – both local and international cuisine - for consumers who would like to order in or even have an in-office lunch break. This affords anyone walking in to Kaffeine diversity at very affordable prices, which is at the forefront of the mind of today’s consumers. mec-concepts.com

Kaffeine

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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SPECIAL REPORT

FRANCHISING

HOSPITALITY NEWS

101

THE ONES TO WATCH Franchising is still a viable option for those in the hospitality industry – one that is more risk-free than running a business of your own. Despite the cons, a proven business model is always a sure bet. The right franchise is out there… deciding which franchise is right for you always begins with Hospitality News ME

INTERNATIONAL BAKERY 1. BREADSMITH

13. FUNK COFFE+FOOD Type: Quality food and coffee served in a funky environment

25. HUMPIT Type: Plant-based hummus & pita bar Initial Investment: $88,970

funkcoffeefood.com.au

humpit-hummus.com

breadsmith.com

FAST FOOD

2. CAFÉ D’AVIGNON Type: Quiches, sandwiches, scones, signature pastries, tarts, and 3rd wave coffee Initial Investment $287,600 - $984,000

14. BURGERIM Type: Mini customizable burgers Initial Investment: $150,000 - $400,000

26. JOUR Type: Committed and healthy restaurant chain Initial Investment: $336,940

burgerim.com

jour.fr

cafedavignon.com

15. COOLGREENS Type: A healthy lifestyle eatery Initial Investment $296,732 - $482,600

27. LOADED BURGER Type: Gourmet burgers and fries Initial Investment: $190,140

coolgreens.com

loadedburgersfranchise.co.uk

16. DAIRY QUEEN Type: Soft serve/fast food Initial Investment $1,091,025-$1,849,525

28. MAMOUN’S FALAFEL Type: The oldest falafel restaurant in New York City Initial investment $672,890 – $1,191,200

Type: European-style breads and sweets Initial Investment $354,250 - $399,900

3. DESSERT D'ORGANIC BAKE SHOP Type: Organic desserts Initial Investment $257,000 - $446,550 dessertd.com

4. DONUT BAR Type: Doughnuts Initial Investment $308,700 - $699,000 donutbar.com

5. GFG Type: High-quality homemade Greek taste experience Initial Investment $361,800 - $1,425,000 gfg-bakery.com

6. HOUSE OF CHIMNEY CAKES Type: Chimney cakes Initial Investment $103,720 - $171,850 thehouseofchimneycakes.com

7. LE MACARON FRENCH PASTRIES Type: Baked goods Initial Investment $84,350 - $361,500 lemacaron-us.com

8. PANERA BREAD Type: Bakery, café Initial Investment $942,200-$1,600,000 panerabread.com

9. PARIS BAGUETTE Type: Bakery, café Initial Investment $719,271 - $1,401,546 parisbaguette.com

dairyqueen.com

17. PITA PIT INC. Type: Pita sandwiches and salads Initial Investment $179,830 - $428,813 pitapitusa.com

18. WHICH WICH Type: Custom-crafted sandwiches, wraps and salads Initial investment $203,000 - $495,250 whichwichfranchising.com

FAST CASUAL 19. BURGERFI Type: Gourmet burgers Initial Investment $613,600 - $987,250 burgerfi.com

20. CALII LOVE Type: Fresh food concept on the idea of love and positivity Initial Investment $369,000 to $540,500 caliilove.com

21. CORELIFE EATERY Type: Food is free of trans fat, artificial additives, and GMO’s Initial Investment $300,000

COFFEE

corelifeeatery.com

10. C HOUSE MILANO CAFÉ Type: Comfort Italian food for lunch and dinner, tea time and Aperitivo Initial Investment $100,000 to $1,000,000

22. FATBURGER Type: burgers Initial Investment $463,169 - $988,000

chouseitalia.com

11. CAFE DEPOT Type: Specialty coffee drinks and healthy food

mamouns.com

29. MELT SHOP Type: Elevated fast-casual Initial Investment: $426,946-$767,369 meltshop.com

30. NOODLES & CO. Type: American fast-casual noodles & pasta Initial Investment: $483,733-$1,198,107 noodles.com

31. SLAPFISH Type: American seafood concept with a focus on sustainability Initial Investment $227,940 – $855,600 slapfishrestaurant.com

32. VITALITY BOWLS Type: Superfood café Initial Investment: $170,100 - $604,000 franchise.vitalitybowls.com

33. WOLFNIGHTS Type: Mediterranean and Thai Cuisine in unique wraps Initial Investment $322,500 - $588,000 wolfnightsusa.com

34. YARDBIRD SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN Type: Southern fried chicken restaurant yardbird.ch

fatburger.com

FULL SERVICE

23. GRABBAGREEN Type: Gluten-free food, juices, smoothies Initial Investment $282,688 - $413,768

35. BAR LOUIE Type: Gastrobar Initial Investment $763,500 - $3,399,000

grabbagreen.com

barlouie.com

12. COFFEE-BIKE Type: Mobile coffee company Initial investment €60,000

24. HALAL GUYS Type: The world’s first American halal food chain Initial Investment $315,600 – $926,500

36. EASY WINE AND EASY BEER Type: State of the art restaurant and bar technologies Initial Investment: €150,000

coffee-bike.com

thehalalguys.com

easybeer.eu/easy-wine

cafedepot.com

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

37. MARCO PIERRE WHITE STEAKHOUSE BAR & GRILL Type: Simple food and quality steaks cooked well

42. NEKTER JUICE BAR INC. Type: Juices, smoothies, acai bowls, non-dairy ice cream Initial Investment $254,500 - $466,600

mpwrestaurants.co.uk

nekterjuicebar.com

38. THE MELTING POT RESTAURANTS INC. Type Fondue restaurants Initial Investment $1,404,320 - $1,824,210

43. ROBEKS FRESH JUICES & SMOOTHIES Type: Juices, smoothies, bowls Initial Investment $236,450 - $345,500

meltingpot.com

robeks.com

39. VEGGIE GARDEN Type: Vegan restaurant Initial investment 150,000 € – 300,000 €

PIZZA

veggiegardengroup.com

ICE CREAM/FROZEN YOGURT 40. BEN & JERRY’S Restaurant Type: Ice cream shop Initial Investment: $107,685–$429,300

JUICE & SMOOTHIE

47. YOUR PIE Type: Assembly-line pizza Initial Investment $364,750 - $710,000 yourpie.com

RETAIL FOOD 48. GOODWILL Type: Chain of gastronomic supermarkets Initial Investment: $222,000 topfranchise.com

44. ARTICHOKE BASILLE’S PIZZA Type: Italian - American Restaurant Initial Investment $500,000 - $1M

49. THE SPICE & TEA EXCHANGE Type: Gourmet spices, teas, sugars, salts, other organic products Initial Investment $184,000 - $477,000

artichokepizza.com

spiceandtea.com

45. JET'S PIZZA Type: Pizza, subs, salads, breads, wings, dessert Initial Investment $437,500 - $631,000

50. VEGAN FINE FOODS Type: Vegan sandwiches, smoothies & bowls, plus outdoor tables.

Initial Investment $95,900 - $458,500

jetspizza.com

41. CLEAN JUICE Type: Organic juices, smoothies, acai bowls Initial Investment $259,000 - $502,500

46. PI PIZZERIA Type: Italian pizza Initial Investment $744,700 – $1,727,600

cleanjuice.com

pi-pizza.com

veganfinefoods.com

*This is a compilation of award winning restaurants, suggestions from leading F&B consultants and the staff's own research

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

65

SPECIAL REPORT

FRANCHISING

LEBANON 51-ABDEL WAHAB Abd El Wahab offers a unique oriental experience featuring a traditional menu and homemade Lebanese specialties.

Narguileh and backgammon with light music creates the perfect place to indulge and relax.

Lebanese Cuisine Founding date: 1999 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 5

Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 11 and 1 in London Looking for expansion: Middle East and Europe Approximate investment size: USD 2,500/sqm Initial franchise fee: USD 250,000 Royalty fee: 5% to 6% Franchise owner: G&A customercare@ghiaholding. com

56-BARTARTINE The home to hearty food and artisanal French bread and pastries. It serves a range of delicious dishes, including tartines, pizzas, salads, steaks, and a great breakfast selection made with the different types of bread that come fresh out of the brand’s own bakery.

World cuisine & authentic French bakery Founding date: 2013

Type of Franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 8 Locations looking for expansion: Middle East Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Knead holding marketing@bar-tartine.com

52-AHWAK Serves traditional Lebanese food with a contemporary twist, using authentic recipes.

Lebanese cuisine Founding date: 2012 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 2 Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 1

Locations looking for expansion: Middle East Approximate investment size: USD 2,000/sqm Initial franchise fee: USD 200,000 Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: G&A customercare@ghiaholding. com

57-BAB IDRIS Offers a casual & modern dining experience with authentic Lebanese cuisine in a warm & stimulating setting.

Lebanese cuisine Founding date: 2018 Type of franchise: Full service Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 1 Locations looking for

expansion: MENA & Europe Approximate investment size: USD 1,200 - 1,400/sqm Initial franchise fee: USD 55,000 - 70,000 Franchisee fee range: Depending on the country and exclusivity deal Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: Ant Ventures r.maroun@antventures.com

53-ANTIKA BAR An original Lebanese bar with a twist bringing back old-time favorite music through wellknown Lebanese singers, bands, and DJs accompanied with superlative shows.

Oriental fusion and International cuisine Founding date: 2016 Type of franchise: Night club

Number of local outlets: 1 Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 2 Locations looking for expansion: Middle East and Europe Approximate investment size: USD 1.2M Franchise owner: Rabih FAKHREDDINE - Seven Management S.A.L. rfakhreddine@7management.me

54-ARAX Lebanese authentic fast street food restaurant.

Mediterranean cuisine Founding date: 1949 Type of franchise: Fast casual Number of local outlets: 27 Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 18 Locations looking for expansion: MENAP/India

- Armenia/CIS Countries Worldwide Approximate investment size: USD 80,000 Initial franchise fee: Single unit franchise USD 10,000 + outlet fee Royalty fee: 6% Franchise owner: Raffi Heybelian araxfranchise1949@gmail.com

58-BATCHIG Brings together people of all ages in a light and casual ambiance. Batchig is a garden, a shisha chill-out location.

With its innovative selection of modern Armenian Lebanese specialties, Batchig is part of the new buzz of Armenian Mezze around the world.

Lebanese Armenian modern cuisine Founding date: 2013 Type of franchise: Fast casual

restaurant Number of local outlets: 2 Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 2 Locations looking for expansion: Europe, USA, Asia Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Royalty fee: 7% Franchise owner: Fig Holding Aline Kamakian info@figholding.com

59-BABEL A high-end destination, providing patrons with a place where they can savor progressive and authentic Lebanese cuisine in a luxury setting.

Progressive Lebanese cuisine Founding date: 2009 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 3 Number of outlets in the

Middle East region: 3 Locations looking for expansion: Worldwide Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Royalty fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Al Shaya nassimgharzeddine@ afkarholding.co

55-AMALEEN Lebanese restaurant with an international twist along with a sushi bar and a wide menu fusion presentation.

Lebanese and International cuisine Founding date: 1999 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 2

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Locations looking for expansion: Worldwide Approximate investment size: USD 500,000 - 1.5M Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: Bilal Jarrah info@amaleenrestaurant.com

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

60-BOUBOUFFE Lebanese Brasserie and a full-fledged restaurant with menu ranging from Lebanese specialties to international dishes.

Lebanese brasserie cuisine Founding date: 1976 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 1 Locations looking for

expansion: Middle East Approximate investment size: USD 1M Initial franchise fee: depending on the country Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: Boubouffe International m.aramouni@boubouffe-intl. com - info@boubouffe-intl. com

61-CAFÉ YOUNES OR BLACK COFFEE - BY CAFÉ YOUNES With its eight decades of expertise and its uncompromising demand for quality, Café Younes developed a franchisable and a highly scalable unique concept that will enable the coffee aficionados to “look for another experience”.

International cuisine Founding date: 1935 Type of franchise: Coffee

Number of local outlets: 12 Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 13 Locations looking for expansion: GCC, Europe, North America, Far East Approximate investment size: USD 200,000 - 300,000 Initial franchise fee depending on the country Royalty fee: 6% Franchise owner: Cafe Younes Ltd franchise@cafeyounes.com

62-CASPER AND GAMBINI’S An all-day restaurant-café with a commitment to true quality.

Striving to consistently deliver natural and unique flavors has been its cornerstone mission since the early days.

International cuisine Founding date: 1996 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 6

Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 22 Locations looking for expansion: Worldwide Approximate investment size: USD 1,200 - 1,400/sqm Initial franchise fee: USD 75,000 - 95,000 Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: Ant Ventures r.maroun@antventures.com

63-CASPRESSO CAFÉ A concept by Casper & Gambini’s provides the highest-quality coffees, sandwiches and desserts in an atmosphere that meets the needs of customers whether they’re on the go or want a place to relax and enjoy their time in a casual setting.

International cuisine Founding date: 2018

Type of franchise: Coffee Number of local outlets: 1 Locations looking for expansion: MENA - Europe Approximate investment size: USD 40,000 - 65,000 Initial franchise fee: USD 15,000 - 25,000 Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: Ant Ventures R.maroun@antventures.com

66-COUQLEY Offers delicious classic French bistro meals.

Traditional French bistro cuisine Founding date: 2009 Type of franchise: Full Service Number of local outlets: 3 Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 1

Locations looking for expansion: Middle East Approximate investment size depending on the country Initial franchise fee depending on the country Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: Couqley LTD paddy@thealleyway.org

67-CURLI-Q Unique in shape, Curli Q creations are baked layer upon layer and slowly cooked on a spit, roasted and glazed in unique state of the art ovens and technique, resulting in a decadent cake, distinctive in texture and moisture, served in many flavors and glazes, sizes and toppings.

International cuisine Founding date: 2015 Type of franchise: Specialty

pastry and Coffee shop Number of local outlets: 2 + 3 additional points of sale Locations looking for expansion: GCC and Europe Approximate investment size USD 175,000 for one flagship store and additional 2 points of sale Royalty fees: 4 % , 2 % marketing Franchise owner: The Cake Lab SAL maya@food-gallery,com

Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 97 Locations looking for expansion: Worldwide Approximate investment size: USD 250,000 Initial franchise fee: USD 35,000 Royalty fee: 6% of net sales Franchise owner: Dip ‘N DIP Inc. (Canadian entity) franchising@dipndip.com

Locations looking for expansion: Worldwide Approximate investment size: USD 1M Initial franchise fee: USD 250,000 Royalty fee: 6% Franchise owner: Global Food Industry Limited franchise@handfulmanagement. com

64-CLASSIC BURGER Serves burgers that cook up a gourmet storm.

American fast casual cuisine Founding date: 2010 Type of franchise: Full service, counter-service, delivery and take out Number of local outlets: 12 outlets Number of outlets in the Middle

East region: 8 Locations looking for expansion: KSA, Qatar, Jordan, Europe and Asia Approximate investment size: USD 350,000 Initial franchise fee: USD 50,000 Royalty fee: 6% Franchise owner: Ministry Of Food SAL franchise@cbj.me

68-DIPNDIP The ultimate chocolate café, using only the finest Belgian chocolate, offering a countless choice of dessert items and beverages – from crêpes, to waffles and traditional hot chocolate.

Belgian chocolate desserts Founding date: 2009 Type of franchise: Fast casual Dessert Number of local outlets: 18

65-CLAP A high-end contemporary restaurant with a new experience in the art of fine dining, and elegant cocktail bars.

Japanese cuisine Founding date: 2018 Type of franchise: Fine dining Number of local outlets: 1 Number of outlets in the Middle

East region: 1 Locations looking for expansion: Middle East Approximate investment size depending on the size Royalty fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Addmind Hospitality jad.aboujaoude@addmind.com

69-DUNYA BEIRUT Lebanese fine dining, offering customers live entertainment while enjoying their meal.

Lebanese cuisine Founding date: 2014 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 1 Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 1

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SPECIAL REPORT 70-DUO Offering a diverse experience where one can enjoy an abundant menu, full of tasty choices or simply a rich healthy salad bar, all served in a comfortable setting, with a warm, yet modern design, featuring a variety of rich materials.

Italian, Japanese and French cuisine Founding date: 2002

FRANCHISING Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 4 Locations looking for expansion: Middle East and Europe Approximate investment size: USD 2,500/sqm Initial franchise fee: USD 200,000 Royalty fee: 5% to 6% Franchise owner: G&A customercare@ghiaholding.com

71-ESCOBAR Tex mex, bar restaurant.

Mexican cuisine Founding date: 2015 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 6 Locations looking for expansion: Dubai, Qatar, KSA

Approximate investment size USD 600,000 Initial franchise fee: USD 150,000 Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: MEC mec@mec-concepts.com

72-ENAB BEIRUT Traditional Lebanese Restaurant serving customers grandma’s recipes in a setting carefully decorated to resemble a traditional Lebanese home.

Lebanese cuisine Founding date: 2011 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 1 Number of outlets in the

Middle East region: 7 Locations looking for expansion: Worldwide Approximate investment size: USD 1M Initial franchise fee: USD 250,000 Royalty fee: 6% Franchise owner: Food Palace LTD Offshore franchise@ handfulmanagement.com

73-EM SHERIF CAFÉ With its original creations, the café offers an "A La Carte" Lebanese and International menu in a relaxed café atmosphere. The innovative cuisine is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner to ensure that customers get the best experience possible and to turn them into repeat patrons.

Lebanese and International "a la carte" cuisine Founding date: 2016 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 1

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Number of outlets in the Middle East: Kuwait, KSA, Cairo, Dubai, London Locations looking for expansion: Bahrain, Jeddah, Qatar, Oman, Abu Dhabi Approximate investment size: Depending on the number of outlets Initial Franchise fees: USD 250,000 - 750,000 Royalty fee: up to 8% Franchise owner: SGR OFFSHORE Info@sgr-offshore.com

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

74-EM SHERIF RESTAURANT A distinguished fine-dining restaurant offering Lebanese and oriental authentic cuisine in a homey atmosphere providing its guests with an unsurpassed dining experience.

Lebanese - oriental cuisine with a twist Founding date: 2011 Type of franchise: Fine dining Number of local outlets: 1 Number of outlets in the Middle

East region: 2 Locations looking for expansion: Oman, Bahrain, Egypt, Abu Dhabi, London, Paris, Turkey, Riyadh, Dammam, Monaco Approximate investment size: Depending on the outlet size Initial franchise fee: USD 400,000 - 800,000 Franchise owner: SGR - OFFSHORE Info@sgr-offshore.com

75- EM SHERIF SEA CAFE Crisp and contemporary, Em Sherif Sea Café is a visual and culinary homage to Lebanon’s historic ties to the Mediterranean world both through a varied menu of main and mezze-style offerings, focused around fresh fish and seafood dishes. From à la carte dining to coffee, shisha and late-night bites, Sea Café is as much a place to socialize, as it is to eat.

Mediterranean seafood cuisine Founding date: 2018 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 1 Locations looking for expansion: KSA, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain Approximate investment size: Depending on the outlet size Initial Franchise fees range USD 400,000 - 800,000 Franchise owner: SGR - OFFSHORE Info@sgr-offshore.com

76-EL DENYE HEK Serving a range of traditional Lebanese dishes and mezza in a modern Lebanese setting at the heart of Mar Mkhayel, Beirut.

Lebanese cuisine Founding date: 2016 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 1

Locations looking for expansion: Worldwide Approximate investment size: USD 2,000/sqm Initial franchise fee: USD 150,000 Royalty fee: 6% Franchise owner: G&A customercare@ghiaholding.com

77-FABRK The only rooftop which opens 365 days a year in Mar Mkhayel; Beirut’s trendy hub of bars. A place which serves quality food, dreamy cocktails and a playful and chilled atmosphere.

American and French cuisine Founding date: 2016 Type of franchise: Full service

Number of local outlets: 1 Locations looking for expansion: Worldwide Approximate investment size: USD 850,000 Initial franchise fee: USD 80,000 Royalty fee: 6% Franchise owner: G&A customercare@ghiaholding. com

78-GO BITES A 'ready–to-eat' concept, serving sandwiches, salads, soups and special daily dishes and other salty and sweet snacks. All food items are freshly prepared daily, using the finest ingredients.

Name of brand: Go Bites Founded: 2018 Number of local outlets: 2 + 2

additional points of sale Locations looking for expansion: GCC and Europe Approximate investment size: USD 45,000 Royalty fees: 4 % of sales, 2 % marketing Franchise owner: Cedar Catering maya@food-gallery.com

79-IRIS CAFE A modern lounge bringing an elegant, natural, sensuous and free-spirited energy.

International cuisine Founding date: 2011 Type of franchise: Restaurant/Bar lounge Number of local outlets: 1 Number of outlets in the Middle

East region: 4 Locations looking for expansion in the Middle East Approximate investment size: Depending on the outlet size Approximate investment size depending on the country Franchise owner: Addmind Hospitality jad.aboujaoude@addmind.com

80-KABABJI GRILL Fast casual chain of restaurants offering authentic mezza and grills in an open kitchen.

Lebanese grill Founding date: 1993 Type of franchise: Fast casual, Full service and Delivery Number of local outlets: 11 Number of outlets in the

Middle East region: 15 + 1 UK Locations looking for expansion: UK, Europe, MENA and USA Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Approximate investment size depending on the country Franchise owner: Kababji Intl Ltd. ola@kababji.com

81-Kaffeine Restaurant and coffee shop.

International cuisine Founding date: 2017 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 1 Locations looking for expansion: GCC

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Approximate investment size: USD 400,000 Initial franchise fee: USD 90,000 Royalty fee: 5 % Franchise owner: MEC mec@mec-concepts.com

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

82-KHAROUF BEIRUT Specialized in serving roast lamb dishes, sandwiches & appetizers.

They also cater.

As well as lamb, Kharouf Beirut also offers authentic oriental specialties. Live cooking with chefs, butchers and performers add energy and nteraction all while entertaining and engaging guests.

Lebanese cuisine and BBQ Founding date: 2008 (catering), 2017 (the outlet) Type of franchise: Fast casual

Number of local outlets: 1 and pop ups Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 2 Locations looking for expansion: Middle East Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: USD 75,000 Royalty fee: 5 % Franchise owner: Disruptive Entertainment Group info@disruptiveg.com, gino. khoueiry@disruptiveeg.com

83-LINA’S More than just a sandwich restaurant, Lina’s gives fast food elegance and style.

French and casual dining cuisine Founding date: 2001 Type of franchise: Café / Full service Number of local outlets: 13 Locations looking for

expansion: MENA region Approximate investment size: USD 600,000 Initial franchise fee: € 100,000 Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner for: Catertainment sal (for Lebanon), Catertainment sal & Lina’s International (for the MiddleEast) info@linaslb.com

84-LEILA MIN LEBNEN Leila has created a fusion between the authenticity of the traditional and the sincerity of the present, keeping the strongholds of the Lebanese culture while reflecting the reality.

Lebanese cuisine Founding date: June 2006 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 4

Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 13 Locations looking for expansion: Riyadh Approximate investment size: USD 1.5M Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Food Trends Corporation SAL carol.d@leilarestaurant.com

85-LE SUSHI BAR Serves an eclectic menu of Japanese cuisine along with one of the largest selections of signature dishes, a phenomenal success and a pioneer in its field.

Japanese cuisine Founding date: 1998 Number of local outlets: 1 Locations looking for

expansion: KSA Approximate investment size: USD 2.5M - 3M Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Mario Jr. Haddad franchise@lesushibar.com

86-Marrouche - Rafic Marrouche Restaurants Rafic Marrouche 3rd generation has decided to establish its new product lines. This involves a new franchise concept of its old-new Marrouche Restaurants, concept covering the famous Rafic Marrouche dishes.

Lebanese cuisine Founding date: 1920 Type of franchise: Fast food

Number of local outlets: 1 Locations looking for expansion: GCC, Europe and USA Approximate investment size: USD 35,000 - 45,000 Initial franchise fee: USD 25,000 Royalty fee: 6% Franchise owner: Rafic Marrouche info@marroucherestaurants.com

SPECIAL REPORT

FRANCHISING

87-MAYRIG A fine dining experience that captures history, tradition and subtle authentic flavors. The menu offers a large variety of traditional and revisited Armenian dishes and serves a wide array of cold and hot mezze, juicy salads and dishes that are rich in aromas of silk road spices and fresh Mediterranean ingredients, recalling the atmosphere of Armenian grandmothers’ homes.

Armenian cuisine

Founding date: 2003 Type of franchise: Restaurant Number of local outlets: 1 Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 2 Locations looking for expansion: Europe, USA Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Royalty fee: 7% Franchise owner: Fig Holding info@figholding.com

88-MALAK AL TAWOUK A Tawouk quick service restaurant chain in Lebanon specialized in original recipes, providing professional management and offering great service.

Lebanese cuisine Founding date: 1996 Type of franchise: Fast food Number of local outlets: 37 Number of outlets in the

Middle East region: 7 Locations looking for expansion: Europe Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Royalty fee: 6% Franchise owner: Joseph and Alain Saade office@malakaltawouk.com

92-MEATS AND BREAD A live-fire and smoke restaurant.

American BBQ and smoke house cuisine Founding date: 2017 Type of franchise: Casual American BBQ Number of local outlets: 1 Locations looking for

expansion: KSA , Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar Approximate investment size: USD 300,000 - 350,000 Initial franchise fee: USD 80,000 Royalty fee: 6 % + 1% marketing Franchise owner: OCRA Sarl aboulteif.r@gmail.com

93-PIZZANINI A fast casual and takeaway restaurant that serves American pizza.

Pizza Founding date: 2010 Type of franchise: Fast casual Number of local outlets: 25 Number of outlets in the Middle

East region: 1 Locations looking for expansion: Local and Worldwide Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Joe Lahoud joelahoud.net@gmail.com

94-SANDWISH W NOSS Conceived with one simple goal to bring the authentic Lebanese flavor in an original snack experience. The twist: when one sandwich is too little and two sandwiches are too much, we created a new ideal size: a sandwish and a half Lebanese street food cuisine Founding date: 2015 Type of franchise: Fast food Number of local outlets: 7

Locations looking for expansion: GCC, Europe, London, USA Approximate investment size: Depending one the size and the number of outlets Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country and its potential Royalty fee: 5.5% Franchise owner: One and a half Holding SAL tony.n@chaptertwo.me

89-MEROU SEAFOOD Serving fresh fish including catering services.

Mediterranean seafood and Lebanese cuisine Founding date: 2014 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 1 Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 1 Locations looking for

expansion: UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, KSA Approximate investment size: Depending on the country Initial franchise fee: USD 65,000 Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: Disruptive Entertainment Group info@disruptiveg.com, gino. khoueiry@disruptiveeg.com

90-MOTHERSHUCKER In the sea of nightlife, it is the oyster bar with fresh shucks, quality sound and fine drinks.

Oyster cuisine & Gin bar Founding date: 2016 Type of franchise: Night club Number of local outlets: 1 Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 1

Locations looking for expansion: Middle East Approximate investment size: Depending on the country Initial franchise fee: USD 125,000 Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: Disruptive Entertainment Group info@disruptiveg.com, gino. khoueiry@disruptiveeg.com

95-TACO DE MADRE A Mexican experience in a relaxed, affordable spot, serving exciting, contemporary and urban tacos and naughty margaritas.

Mexican cuisine Founding date: 2018 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 1 and pop ups Number of outlets in the

Middle East region: 1 Locations looking for expansion: Middle East Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: USD 55,000 Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: Disruptive Entertainment Group info@disruptiveg.com, gino. khoueiry@disruptiveeg.com

91-MOKA & MORE It's the vibe of coffee passion and true coffee culture. It is a brew of coffee-based drinks made to perfection, mouth-watering food and a welcoming ambiance.

Casual dining cuisine Founding date: 2006 Type of franchise: Coffee Number of local outlets 4

Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 23 Locations looking for expansion: Worldwide Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Walid El Hachem franchise2@mokaandmore. com, info@mokaandco.com

96-TARATOR A modern, fast-dining service concept aiming to bring great taste and quality to Middle Eastern food lovers at affordable prices. With a diverse menu of falafel, shawarma, grills, broasted and more.

Middle Eastern cuisine Founding date: 2012

Type of franchise: Fast casual Number of local outlets: 1 Locations looking for expansion: MENA & Europe Approximate investment size: USD 75,000 - 95,000 Initial franchise fee: USD 25,000 - 35,000 Royalty fee: 5% Franchise owner: Ant Ventures R.maroun@antventures.com

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

SPECIAL REPORT

FRANCHISING

97-OLIO SOTO An Italian concept (Olio) with a Japanese concept (Soto).

Recently both brands were merged into OlioSoto where the best of both worlds are served under one roof.

Italian and Japanese cuisine Founding date: 2001 Type of franchise: Full service

Number of local outlets: 4 Locations looking for expansion: KSA, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE and Oman Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Joe Lahoud joelahoud.net@gmail.com

98-WHITE An outdoor rooftop nightlife experience.

International cuisine Founding date: 2006 Type of franchise: Night Club Number of outlets in the Middle East region: 1 Locations looking for expansion:

KSA, Middle East Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Addmind Hospitality jad.aboujaoude@addmind.com

99-WOODEN BAKERY A convenient bakery store, delivering the highest quality products and services.

Bakery Founding date: 1969 Type of franchise: Bakery, Retail Food, Cheese & Deli, Breakfast, Coffee, QSR Number of local outlets: 52 Number of outlets in the Middle

East region: 12 Locations looking for expansion: Europe, USA Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Edward, Assaad and Ghassan Bou Habib franchise@woodenbakery.com

„ I ONLY ACCEPT

MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE !

My focus is on the guest. I do everything for that, and I expect maximum performance from my equipment. The MKN FlexiCombi won‘t let me down. Its performance inspires me every time anew. And so I inspire my guests.

MKN FlexiCombi Performance redefined.

#mychoice | 76

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

WWW.MKN.COM

100-ZWZ A casual Lebanese urban eatery for everyday life. From traditional Lebanese dishes to modern lifestyles. Serving cravings with an international twist.

Lebanese urban eatery cuisine Founding date: 1999 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 23 Number of outlets in the Middle

East region: 57 Locations looking for expansion: Canada, North America & Europe Approximate investment size: Depending on the size Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Franchise owner: Breakfast & CO SAL franchising@zaatarwzeit.net

EGYPT

101-OVIO A European restaurant/café driven to provide quality Artisan food to customers.

The unique selection of fresh bread, delicious patisserie and flavorsome dishes are inspired by a European heritage.

European cuisine Founding date: 2014 Type of franchise: Full service Number of local outlets: 6

Locations looking for expansion: MENA region Approximate investment size:USD 250,000 - 300,000 Initial franchise fee: Depending on the country Royalty fee: 5% + 1.5% marketing Franchise owner: Raya Restaurants info@ovio.eu

Tunnel spin 500 VERTICAL SPIRALS COOLING TUNNEL SPIN 500 patented motion system

Tunnel for moulds with vertical spirals Selmi has created an innovative handling of the moulds that allows for maximum exposure of the same to the cooling flow with compact dimensions.

The power supply to the Tunnel is timed and assisted by a Loading belt.

Output cooled product on the same axis of input in order to increase the productivity. Cooled and dehumidified air flow, thanks to the spin patent follow the moulds during their way.

TECHNICAL DATA: Optimal ambient temperature: 20/25 °C, maximum 32 °C Dimensions (HxWxD): 1800, 1600, 1500 mm.

WE DEFINE BAKING ART THROUGH KNOWLEDGE AND CREATIVITY Newest Baking Academy In Lebanon ABA “Academy of Baking Arts�, founded by Bano-Puratos in 2019, is one of its first academy in the Middle East. Delivering a unique full experience in different sectors covering pastry, bakery, chocolate and ice cream for beginners and professionals with different designed courses by local and international renowned chefs.

ABA offers a unique opportunity for all people of all skill levels to expand their knowledge though a wide range of different workshops as Hands-on experience or master classes in Baking Arts with a premises that fits up to 45 participants.

Chef Emmanuel Hamon

Academy Director

A Bchamoun Main Road, Lebanon | P + 961 5 801 649 | E info@aba-lb.com | W www.aba-lb.com

SOLUTIONS

HUMAN RESOURCES

In collaboration with

MAXIMIZE HR WITH HUMAN CAPITAL TECHNOLOGY

In the 1970s, it was envisioned that by 2020, computers would be doing everything. Today, we have more computing power in our hands than was in the computer that sent the first rocket to the moon! Yet, technology is still failing to effectively disrupt HR. Mark Dickinson of DONE! Hospitality Training Solutions examines why and what we can do to right this wrong A recent survey of 2 million people (www. surveymonkey.com/curiosity/cnbcworkplace-happiness-index/) showed that only 47 percent of people were very satisfied in their work. The same survey revealed that 60 percent of people felt able to keep up with technology and almost nobody felt threatened by it. These numbers are highly significant. People are not that satisfied in their work; they are aware of technology, but not afraid of it and it is not being used to improve the workplace. It’s time to bring HR into the present – to use technology to manage our HR processes. S, to stop wasting time doing work that machines can easily do, and concentrate on improving the lives of the workforce.

5 aeas of HR where tech can make a difference: Recruitment Linkedin Recruiter is the global leading app for hiring people. It will not solve your problems, but it will do some serious heavy

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lifting for you. You can identify better quality and more focused candidates and you have better eyes on the hiree from an external perspective before hiring. However it is fakable. Thereafter, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of apps offering recruitment services. Let’s be honest, finding the right talent is the hardest of challenges and it will not get easier. Every candidate considers themselves to be the best qualified person for the job and every interviewer is looking for perfection. Somewhere in the process there is a compromise; that is the human element of recruitment. Along the way, the apps will help you identify better candidates from a wider pool; search Google top recruitment apps to get the latest list, then sample until you find what works for you.

Onboarding E-onboarding is a thing. Again, there are myriad solutions online that will help you do this work digitally. Do you need a person to physically onboard new starts? Probably not. It has been proven that you can learn pretty much anything through e-learning, so why not learn about your new company and your job online? Again, go to your online search engine and you will find thousands of solutions. We obviously recommend ours!

Learning and development HR must use online learning and development tools. From university degrees to learning how to make a pot of coffee, it is all out there. Why-ever would we want to duplicate these processes when they already exist? Find a great platform and use it. Get all your people on board with using it. Make it mandatory rather than optional.

Funnel all your learning through one app so that you can track the progress and growth of your people. Collect the learnings of one and share it with all. Make information-

sharing a central core of your business.

Allocate time for learning for everyone. It is essential that everyone is learning. You cannot track their learning on bits of paper, you must do it online. It must be organized and measurable, so that you can encourage greater growth.

Performance management You must manage the growth of your people, if only to see how to improve their salaries through a system. No matter what anyone says, salary improvement still ranks as one of the most important elements of an employee’s journey. It is twice as important to the employee that their salary grows as it is to get learning and development opportunities. Which app will do the job? It’s very hard to say and depends who you ask. Anyone who is still managing key performance indicators (KPIs) through a manual system is behind the curve. Let technology drive your results and let the software take care of the reminders and measures.

Statistics and data According to the World Economic Forum, data stored globally has reached 44 ettabytes and this data is available for use, not for storage. Businesses today must make effective use of data. The more data you collect, the better informed will be your decision-making and the more powerful will be your ability to determine strategy. So collect data: How long did an employee stay in a particular job? Why did they leave? What were the contributing factors? Understand as much as you can, collect as much information as you can and then use data to predict future behavior and improve results.

Technology is not the future, it is the present.

Use the tools that are already around you to improve and propel your business forward. done.fyi

e t ! a s u r b wit h e l e C 16 - 20 FEBRUARY 2020 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

Join us as we celebrate the 25th edition of Gulfood with industry veterans and step into the future of the F&B world.

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SOLUTIONS

HUMAN RESOURCES

HOW TO MAKE YOUR BUSINESS ATTRACTIVE TO INVESTORS Starting a new business venture is always a challenge that involves risks. However, higher levels of market uncertainty globally due to limited financial resources and lower discretionary income available to consumers have combined to raise the risk factors. As a result, many capitalists are looking to invest in franchised businesses to limit their financial exposure. Manal Syriani, franchise manager of The Lebanese Bakery, shares key franchising solutions that could make all the difference

of consistently producing revenue and attracting new customers.

Strong company culture The local market is rich with a variety of F&B businesses offering franchising opportunities to achieve profit goals, while ensuring the growth of their brand. Therefore, franchisors have to establish themselves as leaders and offer tempting packages to be able to attract investors. A strong profile for any franchisor should provide:

This should convey the trust of shareholders to always support their partners, appreciate their need to understand the decision-making process and make sure their interests are always heard and acknowledged. Direct open communication with owners and decision makers - between franchisor and franchisee - is invariably a motivation for investors when weighing up a business opportunity.

Strong brand image

Strong operating system

This should allow investors to identify with the brand and be coupled with a clear communication strategy that translates the essence of the brand into marketable materials to attract and retain customers. A strong brand always tells a story that the target market can associate with, regardless of the products and services they are selling.

A businesses’ ultimate aim is to be able to continually generate revenues, therefore any business owner will look for a lucrative business that is capable

An elaborated business model should translate into a strong operating system via simple implementation steps that allow customers’ interests to be placed in line with company interests. To be successful, an operating strategy should simplify decisionmaking, while remaining efficient and direct.

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Well-established fee structure This should provide clear return for each fee paid. Investors should receive a breakdown of support that will be provided by the franchisor team at each level of the brand development before committing to the

investment. It is important that the support the business provides in the development and operational side of the concept should translate into increased trust from the investor in the future of his investment.

Accessibility This can be achieved by being present at franchising exhibitions and industry trade shows. Such events will facilitate the matching of investors with franchisors and allows investors to experience the franchise management team in an informal setting.

Specialized networking events and targeted gatherings are additional opportunities for investors to better understand the business side of the industry, beyond the monetary benefits.

A new chapter As we enter an era in which change is becoming the only predictable constant, especially on the economic and business scene, it is important to note that investors are becoming more critical in their approach to accessing a business. Trust, transparency and a strong presence are becoming the trading currency in the franchising business. waycons.com

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EXPLORE EUROPEAN DAIRY PRODUCTS AT GULFOOD DUBAI European Dairy products will be on show at GULFOOD Dubai, the world’s largest food exhibition, from February 16-20,2020.

Explore the diversity and quality of UK Dairy products at the Dairy council for Northern Ireland (DCNI) stand, located SM48.

Milk used for EU dairy products is one of the highest standard. Dairy farms and processing plants in United Kingdom produce high quality milk and milk products – not only participating in internationally recognized quality insurance schemes but in many instances surpassing/exceeding regulatory requirements.

The United Kingdom climate is moderate with an abundant rainfall which is ideal for the growth of rich, nutritious grass. Its lush pastures provide the perfect diet for dairy cows, allowing them to graze outdoors for the majority of the year.

16-20 FEB 2020 DUBAI WORLD TRADE CENTRE

Stand SM48

United Kingdom is naturally suited to the sustainable production of high quality dairy products. Dairy farms are family owned, passing from one generation to the next.

United Kingdom dairy products are produced to the highest European standards for quality, sustainability of supply, animal health and welfare, and environment.

Discover the outstanding programs implemented by European and United Kingdom dairy companies to guarantee the best for consumers, including the utmost respect for the environment .

Dairy products you can trust

PRODUCT ZONE

NEW PRODUCTS

ON THE MARKET

CENOTE TEQUILA Cenote is an ultra-premium, 100 percent Agave Azul Tequila, inspired by the beauty of Yucatan Peninsula. It is named for the spectacular underground water systems unique to this geographical region, which the Mayans considered ‘windows to the underworld‘, inhabited by gods and goddesses.

GABRIEL BOCTI SAL gabrielbocti.com

DECOCINO DECORATIONS

WHISKEY MARMALADE

Decocino has a huge selection of products, ranging from fondant icing, sugar eyes, glitter flakes and edible butterflies to candles and cake toppers. You’ll find cool, trendy themes and decorations that are easy to work with, amazing colors and designs, new flavors and fantastic ingredients for your cakes, gateaux, muffins and more.

ETS. EDMOND R. GORAIEB SAL goraieb.com

Contains natural bitter orange peels, natural juices, natural pectin, Bourbon and 30 percent unrefined cane sugar.

HOUSE OF MARMALADE houseofmarmalade.com

Brema is committed to producing good quality, fresh pasta in a variety of shapes and fillings, dedicated to those who love to eat well, while respecting traditional Italian flavors.

U-FOOD SAL pastabrema.it

BLACK OAK HONEY

KEBBE BIL KIBBEYE (KBK)

Pure, all-natural honey, foraged from oak trees, and honey with nuts. Also, pure all-natural honey with almonds and walnuts. Could be mixed with goat’s cheese to make an excellent dessert. facebook.com/jarhoneyofficial

SPICES Fresh, natural, premium quality spices (whole, ground and blended) in a variety of packages (sachet, PET and PP bags), in sizes ranging from 50g to 25kg.

AHMAD M.S AL DIRANI & BROS FACTORY (DIRANI GROUP) dirani-group.com

GRILLED OLIVES An exclusive selection of grilled black and green olives, garlic, pepper and vegetables, with special mixes to satisfy all tastes.

SEVEN LANDS S.A.R.L sevenlands-lb.com

DARMMESS EXTRA VIRGIN OLIVE OIL With its origins in Deir Mimas, a small village coated with 600+ years old olive trees, Darmmess Extra Virgin Olive Oil is made from an early harvest of exclusively non-mature green olives, pressed in a modern mill and filtered. A unique taste experience with a somewhat spicy aftertaste, this latest product from the brand is definitely suited to connoisseurs.

Available in 500ml and 15kg tins. facebook.com/Darmmess

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Invest in the right products and equipment to make cooking easier.

Here’s a good place to start

HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

HUILE DU N’OR Produced from the finest groves in the Mediterranean, Huile du N’or originates from Bchaaleh, a village in the heart of the north of Lebanon. This single variety of oil comes from olive trees which are the oldest (2,500 years) and highest in altitude (1,300 meters above sea level) found in the land.

Harvested early and handpicked, the Sourani olives are perfectly pressed within 24 hours, free from any exposure to air, light, heat or chemicals, boasting an acidity level below 0.4. huiledunor.com

BREMA FRESH PASTA

KBK is a new Lebanese product conceived for the pleasure of the Lebanese people. It comes in four flavors: meat, chicken, fish and falafel, for people with different tastes, including lovers of Lebanese, Asiatic and vegan food. KBK can be found at many points of sale around Lebanon. kebbebilkibbeye.com

SOUS CHEF Sous Chef is a Lebanese company producing and distributing food complements that will upgrade any meal. Products are additive free, all natural and artisanally made to ensure the best and most authentic experience for consumers. Onion jam can be used for a variety of meats, poultry, fish, cheese and cold-cuts or simply spread in sandwiches or on breads and appetizers. Other options are beer onion jam and arak onion jam. sous-chef.co

La w

sseini

Media Services & Exhibitions

Hu

nce & re

PRODUCT ZONE

EQUIPMENT

WEAR IT’S AT Christian Karam Chef and restaurateur

Jane Campbell Managing Director PCL Corporatewear

In an age where uniforms are playing an increasingly bigger role throughout the F&B industry, innovation, design and quality are all to the fore It’s a fact that work uniforms, especially those worn by kitchen staff, take a battering on a daily basis, bearing the brunt of a raft of challenges, from the hot, fast-paced environment to the prepping and cooking of ingredients. On top of that, more recent trends, such as the rising popularity of open kitchens and social media, have sharpened the focus on presentation, adding an extra dimension to the industry’s clothing requirements.

Fabrics for the future With professionals making increasingly higher demands for uniforms that enable them to work to the best of their ability in a pressured environment, new innovations and technological advancements are helping producers to raise the bar with their offerings.

Helen Harker Design Manager Simon Jersey

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HOSPITALITY NEWS ME | FEB-MAR 2020

Christian Karam, local chef and restaurateur, said that he purposefully chose the uniform he wears today because it offers the ideal combination of comfort and durability. “I like the way different fabrics were used to make it that really work well with what I do,” he said.

“The texture of the material on the front – the part that has to withstand more action and gets dirtier – is extremely tough. But then the sleeves and back are perforated, which enables me to breathe.”

Manufacturers have been able to take advantage of improvements in fabric technologies, particularly those that are man-made, delivering positive results for both staff wearing today’s uniforms and the bottom line, according to Jane Campbell, managing director of PCL Corporatewear. “Gone is the need for harsh fabrics requiring dry cleaning to ensure durability,” she said. “In are the finer materials, with stretch, breathability, extreme durability which will withstand higher washing temperatures and have an overall longer lifespan.”

George Al Kache, operation manager at Uniqform, also believes that operators are keen to source kitchen uniforms that have been designed, through innovation, to withstand the challenges of the workplace, saying, “Lately we’ve been using waterrepellent and soil-resistant jackets.”

Going green Other trends reflect moves under way among many businesses to put concerns for the environment at the core of their operations, as Helen Harker, design manager at Simon Jersey, explained. “Our newest innovation is the introduction of recycled and sustainable fabrics,” she said. “In 2020 we will introduce a range

Fabien Firetto Director Middle East, Bragard

Green and hip: two on trend looks from Bragard

of black aprons which are made from recycled polyester and shortly after, a sustainable hemp range.”

PCL Corporatewear has also witnessed demand for garments made from recycled plastics, along with materials that were ethically sourced, according to Campbell.

On show Image has never been more important for F&B outlets, especially in today’s world of heightened visibility, and the vast majority appear to be keenly aware of the part that uniforms play in relaying and reinforcing their brand, whatever the scale of their operations, according to Al Kache. “Even small restaurants with small budgets consider the uniform as part of their image and the marketing strategy of their restaurant,” he said.

Campbell has also witnessed a drive underway amongst smaller-scale outlets to ensure their brand is both visible and recognizable. In addition to standard personalizations, such as embroidery, print and labeling, the firm is now modifying stock garments in ways that are logistically better for smaller companies, such as by adding colored and textured trims or changing buttons.

The emergence of open kitchens and their rising popularity has sharpened the focus on kitchen staff, with much more thought today being given to their presentation and appearance.

“We have seen with the trend for open kitchens that eateries are purchasing more branded t-shirts and polo shirts to wear with an apron,” Harker said. Aside from being more visible to diners in restaurants, chefs like Karam have also

found online appearances influencing their choice of uniforms. “I almost always wear black, but when I’m doing pastry and dessert demonstrations on YouTube, I always put on a white uniform; it somehow feels right,” he said. “There’s no doubt that the principle of being visible online makes me think more carefully about my appearance.”

Tradition reigns Looking ahead, industry experts are reasonably confident that chefs’ uniforms will remain fairly orthodox in the foreseeable future, having moved away from previously favored bright colors and patterns. “Chefs’ wear seems to have reverted back to the more traditional colours of black and white,” Harker said. “The mandarin collar and classic shirts in black never go out of fashion in hospitality, they are a staple and always look good on all shapes and sizes.”

With front-facing staff, the trend also appears to be for more understated styles in pastels and gray, often to align with or enhance the interiors and broader décor. “For waiting staff, we have seen a trend towards plain, simple styles that are well designed and practical for the job role,” Harker said. “ An example is our canvas aprons which have been a big hit in hospitality.”

Al Kache added that while bibs, aprons, pouches and hats were all popular requests for uniforms, less often seems to be more today. “Something we’ve witnessed lately is that people are looking for simplicity,” he noted, “less branding and a more casual look, with high-end finishing."

Amongst the exciting new collections for 2020 from Bragard, the French provider of professional uniforms for hospitality and food services, are two that reflect key themes evident across the broader industry and beyond. The firm’s Green Label has caring for the environment at its heart, while the ultra-hip Studio B enables the new wave of kitchen professionals to look stylish and edgy in the workplace.

Fabien Firetto, Bragard’s Middle East Director, explained that creating the Green Label collection had dovetailed perfectly with the company’s vision of engaging in sustainable and green processes, while also meeting similar demands from its clients, many of whom share Bragard’s outlook.

“This brand-new collection confirms our commitment to offering eco-friendly apparel for customers who feel the same as we do about the future of our planet,” he said. “It features items such as chef jackets and aprons that have been made from a recycled material created using plastic bottles. This innovative polyester product is then blended with organic cotton to make a truly unique synthetic fabric, which gives professionals everything they’re looking for in workwear, while thinking about the environment.” He added that the cotton used comes from plants grown in natural compost, which consumes less water than its conventional counterparts.

“The entire uniform is then packed and presented in a fabric bag to ensure it’s entirely plastic-free,” Firetto added.

The Studio B collection is another new concept from Bragard, which is inspired by and aimed at contemporary chefs who want their workwear to reflect their lifestyle. The brand has a distinctly stylish feel to it, bringing a fashionable dimension and a touch of audaciousness to workwear. “More broadly, we have moved toward offering silhouettes, providing a complete look for clients, rather than piecemeal products,” Firetto said.

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

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PRODUCT ZONE

BEVERAGE

LESS IS MORE IN THE BOTTLED WATER BUSINESS

In 2016, bottled water dethroned soft drinks as the leader in beverage sales. As the container market experiences a wave of innovative packaging solutions, changing consumer consumption patterns and ultra-premium water brands are soaring in popularity, ushering in a new age for what has become the world’s biggest-selling beverage According to a report by statista, a leading provider of market and consumer data, revenue in the bottled water segment will total USD 305 million in 2020, with expected annual market growth estimated at +6 percent (CAGR 2020-2023). The average price per unit in the bottled water segment will stand at US 0.7 in 2020.

Most revenue will be generated in the US,

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followed by China, with Germany, Mexico and Indonesia taking third, fourth and fifth positions respectively. By 2023, 36 percent of spending in the bottled water segment will be attributed to out-ofhome consumption.

Sustainable practices are expected to become the norm in the beverage industry, as many producers transition towards glass, while also considering the use of aluminum A report by Market Research indicates that the global bottled water market is highly fragmented. To stand out among competitors, companies started changing the look and feel of packaging bottles to obtain more market traction. Some strategies include re-sealable and recyclable cans and transparent sophisticated bottles, as well as inks and coatings to enhance customer experience through unique visual effects and more shelf appeal.

Variety of tastes and trends Arcadia, an organization helping various manufacturing industries optimize energy consumption, reported that bottled waters may appear to be the same, but are not. In fact, natural mineral and spring waters are unique and offer very different tastes due to varying mineral composition, depending on the specific geological environment.

A report by KPMG projects that as soda consumption declines, more brands are developing sparkling water products.

Healthy drinks, like plant-based waters and other functional varieties, are gaining popularity. Due to sustainability issues, and as single-use plastic water bottles continue to be an ongoing concern, companies are changing their packaging to more eco-friendly options, including aluminum cans and paper boxes.

In terms of functionality, consumers willing to pay more also expect additional benefits. These include clean ingredients, offering increased mental clarity, energy, a better mood and less stress,

industry, as many producers transition towards glass, while also considering the use of aluminum.

Recyclability, reusability and the ability to be molded into different shapes makes plastic an attractive choice for beverage manufacturers. The European Commission adopted a new ‘circular economy package’ to assist consumers and businesses to make the transition.

Under these new policies, all plastic packaging in the EU region is expected to be recyclable by 2030.

Packaging innovations Report Linker, a technology company that simplifies how analysts and decisionmakers obtain actionable industry data, reported that innovative packaging of bottled water represents the latest trend in the market. The aim is to establish a unique brand image for added differentiation. It includes re-sealable

Recyclability, reusability and the ability to be molded into different shapes makes plastic an attractive choice for beverage manufacturers

ON THE MARKET

SOHAT 1L Sohat’s Natural mineral water comes from underground sources that are guaranteed to be protected from risks of pollution, making the water’s texture fine and its content light. The new 1L bottle directly from our source to you, the company states.

NESTLE WATERS buyonline.nestlewaters.com.lb

In terms of functionality, consumers willing to pay more also expect additional benefits. These include clean ingredients, offering increased mental clarity, energy, a better mood and less stress

JUST WATER and recyclable can packaging material, transparent sophisticated bottles, or inks and coatings applied on a can to enhance the customer experience through unique visual effects, along with increasing shelf appeal. all of which have led to the emergence of ‘miracle beverages’. Another factor affecting growth is the number of available physical and digital portals offering brands new routes to market and consumers a multitude of access points.

As a result, direct-to-consumer offerings are growing to ensure optimal consumer visibility and formats.

Plastic vs. glass A market overview report by Mordor Intelligence found that plastic is the most used material for producing beverage containers. As governments try to develop and encourage the use of less environmentally harmful packaging, companies are moving ahead by innovating suitable solutions in growing their bottled water sectors.

For instance, Coca-Cola has switched to sustainable practices by reducing the weight of the plastic bottles, increasing the use of returnable containers (glass) and increasing the percentage of recycled plastic in their packaging containers.

Sustainable practices are expected to become the norm in the beverage

World’s biggest bottled water providers Nestlé owns 64 bottled water brands, while Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co. Ltd’s Wahaha water is one of the most recognized bottled water brands in China. Danone is a French multinational food-products corporation whose water division represents 20 percent of the company’s total sales. Multinational beverage corporation, Coca Cola Company, has over half a dozen water brands. Pepsi Co, the American multinational food and beverage corporation, is yet another major player in the global bottled water industry.

5 future trends in premium water Steve Rowe, Founder of Dry Residue, an award-winning bottled water consultancy believes that in the coming years, the most dominant trends will include specialist distribution growth, the emergence of new super-premium waters, water brands employing retro labels and fine water dispensers gaining market share, as the search for new packaging continues.

Jaden Smith introduces his ecofriendly water brand to Dubai.

Just Water launched four years ago, with Will Smith revealing late last year that Jaden has been his partner in the project all along. He also promoted Just Water’s new flavored products – including organic apple cinnamon and organic tangerine – that will be sold across the US. justwater.com

BOLT24 PepsiCo, Inc. is set to roll out a new product under its Gatorade brand geared toward the athlete 'off the field.' Bolt24 contains 80 calories and 100 percent of the daily value of vitamins A, C, B3, B5 and B6. The beverage contains no artificial sweeteners or flavors and will be available in three varieties. drinkbolt24.com

FEB-MAR 2020 | HOSPITALITY NEWS ME

91

PRODUCT ZONE

CHOCOMANIA

GOLD DOME PASTRY Feast your eyes on this delicious Gold dome pastry with iced coffee ganache, dark chocolate mousse and a heavenly Gold caramel glaze.

1. ALMOND-HAZELNUT SPONGE CAKE Ingredients • 132g egg whites •132g sugar Make a meringue.

• 82g egg yolks • 214g eggs • 297g sugar • 181g almond powder • 165g hazelnut powder • 33g Van Houten Cocoa Powder 22/24 • 82g flour Mix together.

• 181g melted butter Add to the egg mixture and mix in the meringue.

Preparation Spread on a 2-cm high silicone mat. Bake for 20 minutes at 160°C. 2. ICED COFFEE GANACHE Ingredients • 25g powdered milk 1% fat • 110g espresso coffee • 110g full fat milk • 2g vanilla Authentic Products Mix together and heat up to 70°C.

• 25g gelatin mass • 30g Callebaut - Caramels Caramel Fill • 326g Callebaut - Finest Belgian Gold Chocolate - Gold • 10g Callebaut – Power 41 Chocolate Preparation Combine all ingredients in a recipient. Pour the previous hot mixture onto the mixture to melt.

• 5g powdered gelatin • 20g water • 30g Callebaut - Caramels Caramel Fill • 326g Callebaut - Finest Belgian Gold Chocolate - Gold • 10g Callebaut – Power 41 Chocolate Pass through a sieve and whip to achieve the right consistency. Immediately pipe into flexible half-sphere moulds of 4 cm and freeze.

• 1g salt • 3g orange zest Cap’fruit Add and emulsify.

• 365g cream EVEN 35.2% Add, cover and leave to rest in the refrigerator overnight.

EMF Middle East t. +961 9 938732 | info@emf-me.com www.emf-me.com

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3. CITRUS JELLY Ingredients • 132g sugar • 14g NH pectin Mix together.

• 230g lemon puree Cap’fruit • 395g orange puree Cap’fruit • 148g water • 82g invert sugar Mix in and bring to a boil.

Preparation Allow to cool down for a few minutes and spread out evenly onto the almond-hazelnut sponge cake. Leave to cool in the refrigerator.

4. SAO TOMÉ CHOCOLATE MOUSSE Ingredients • 196g whole milk • 35g invert sugar Heat up to 60°C. • 204g Callebaut - Single Origin Chocolate - Sao Thomé Pour previous mixture over the chocolate. Emulsify with a stick blender.

• 350g cream EVEN 35.2% Mix in the previous mixture when its temperature is at 40°C.

Preparation Pipe into half-sphere moulds of 7 cm Ø to ¾ of the height and press a frozen half-sphere of iced coffee ganache in the center.

Finish with a layer of chocolate sponge and freeze.

5. CARAMEL GLAZE Ingredients • 282g sugar • 141g water • 282g glucose Heat up to 103°C. • 188g sweetened concentrated milk • 103g gelatin mass • 282g Callebaut - Finest Belgian Gold Chocolate – Gold • 100g Callebaut - Finest Belgian Milk Chocolate - Recipe N° 823 • 100g Callebaut - Caramels Caramel Fill Combine the ingredients in a high recipient. Pour the previous hot mixture over the ingredients and emulsify.

Preparation Leave to rest in the refrigerator overnight. Glaze the Sao Thomé chocolate mousse at 28-30°C.

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