02. Jihad El Eit, Founder and CEO, Man’oushe Street
Founded in the UAE in 2010, El Eit acquired a controlling stake in fast-food chain Man’oushe Street during the third quarter of 2012. At that point, he had no experience in the F&B industry. Within a year, the company had a new brand identity and a solid HR and systems infrastructure. During that same period, he managed to double Man’oushe Street’s same-store sales and expanded the company’s footprint with a number of new outlets in UAE. In the last year, the company’s headcount has also increased 40%.
With a number of corporate owned stores, a dedicated central kitchen and franchises in Egypt and Abu Dhabi, Man’oushe Street has a total of 17 outlets operating in the Middle East, 10 in the UAE, five in Egypt, one in Qatar, and one in Kuwait. In addition, the company’s pipeline includes outlets in Dubai’s Al Ghurair Centre and Arabian Ranches, as well as new openings in Kuwait and Egypt, all due by the end of this year. Launching a home-grown brand may have its challenges — as El Eit points out, there is no process that you can just copy and paste, nor any international support — but Man’oushe Street has overcome the odds.
Bite-sized facts:
Number of years in the F&B industry: 5
Number of years with this company: 5
Number of years in this role: 5
Number of years working in the Middle East: 13
Number of people you are responsible for: 350
Number of F&B outlets in the Middle East: 17
Nationality: Lebanese
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