São Paulo – Folha de Uva (Portuguese for grape leaf), a traditional Lebanese food restaurant in the city of São Paulo, is beginning to expand into franchises at shopping centre food courts in São Paulo and the so-called ABC region, in the Greater Metropolitan Area, comprising the municipalities of Santo André, São Bernardo do Campo and São Caetano do Sul. The first franchise unit will open next Tuesday (22nd) at the Golden Square Shopping, in São Bernardo.
Chef Samir Cauerk Moysés, a native of the state of Espírito Santo, opened the restaurant nearly 25 years ago. Therefore, now that the time has come to expand, he made a decision he deems crucial: all the food at franchised units will be prepared by him and his team at the Folha de Uva headquarters.
“I want the cuisine to be authorial, despite the franchises. I have my own spices, my cooking style, and I want the food to have my touch,” Samir explains. Each day, 250 kilograms of food will be cooked, comprising 30 different types of buffet-style dishes.
“The franchises will have smaller kitchens and lower costs. They will receive all the food cooked or semi-cooked, and they will warm up or cool down the dishes,” says the chef. The options include the better-known Lebanese dishes, like kibbeh, safiha, tabbouleh, fattoush, stuffed squash, chicken rice, grape and cabbage leaf rolls, kofta, and the pastes that accompany the meals, like hummus, dry curd and babaghanoush.
The business model
Samir explains that he has opted for shopping centre franchises due to the clientele. “Shopping centre customers are loyal and regular, and sales are faster,” he says.
The intention is to expand while maintaining food quality, therefore the chef says he does not plan on opening a large number of restaurants. “I have no intention of becoming a large chain. We plan on having up to ten stores,” he says.
In order to open a Folha de Uva franchise, interested parties must actually head the business. “We are not interested in nvesting partners. They must make a living out of it. They must actually manage the place,” says Samir.
The franchise at Golden Square Shopping belongs to the retired architect Valter Luiz Dantas, and will be managed by his son, the economist Luiz Fernando Dantas. The initial investment was R$ 500,000 (roughly US$ 230,000 at current exchange rates), including the cost of the space at the mall, the hiring of nine employees, and the kitchen overhaul.
According to Samir, revenues are expected to average at R$ 270,000 (US$ 124,000), but the amount can vary from mall to mall. Franchisees will pay 5% on sales to Folha de Uva, plus 2% on revenues for advertisement.
If you are interested in opening a franchise of Folha de Uva, send an email to chef Samir Cauerk at samir@folhadeuva.com. To find out more about the restaurant, go to www.folhadeuva.com.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
