São Paulo – Known for offering dishes with typically Brazilian seasoning, accessible at places with great circulation, like shopping centres, fast food chain Giraffas has started investing in the international market. The first step was the opening of a unit in Miami, in the United States, to be inaugurated still in 2010. The initiative received total investment of US$ 1 million, made by the company itself. Now, the target is to open ten restaurants in the next five years.
“The next unit will be in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay,” explained the executive director at Giraffas, Cláudio Miccieli. According to him, for the time being the chain focus on the foreign market is on the United States. As well as the domestic market. "The Giraffas target is to have 400 restaurants in Brazil by the end of 2011," he said.
The forecast is to end 2010 having opened 42 new restaurants in the country. "In São Paulo we have a more mature market, with 107 units. And we want to grow with street shops," said Miccieli. Among the sites to be worked in Brazil are medium cities which are hubs in their regions, like Sinop, Mato Grosso, and Parauapebas, in Pará. "In September we inaugurated a restaurant in Boa Vista, Roraima," said Miccieli.
Giraffas currently has 320 restaurants and eight kiosks, employing a total of 7,000 people. The chain had revenues of 415 million reals (US$ 241 million) in 2009, and should end 2010 over 500 million reals (US$ 291 million). For 2011, expectations are for investment of 20 million reals (US$ 12 million) in institutional and marketing campaigns. Following the company’s line of operation, prioritising Brazilian cuisine, 60% of revenues come from dishes that bring together rice, beans and grilled meats.
Like Giraffas, a large number of Brazilian chains have been investing abroad. According to the Brazilian Franchising Association (ABF), 68 Brazilian companies in the field already operate in the country. Abroad, according to the ABF, opportunities are present mainly in the sectors of beauty and cosmetics and sports clothes. The Arab nations are targeted and are seen as promising markets. The franchise sector should end 2010 with an 18.7% greater performance than in 2009, which represents revenues of 65 billion (US$ 38 billion).
*Translated by Mark Ament
