Café Blanc expands its MENA presence

Opens in Egypt, soon in Qatar and KSA

Local restaurant Café Blanc is expanding its network across the MENA region and will be opening a new branch in Qatar.

The new branch, which stretches over 400 square meters, will become operational as of July 2013. Real Estate Services Group (RSG) will be Café Blanc’s franchisee and will be responsible for developing its network in Qatar in the coming years.

Café Blanc also recently opened a 400-square-meter outlet in Egypt. The Egyptian franchisee is National Travel Service (NTS). Joseph Ghostine, Director of Operations at Blends, the company that owns Café Blanc, said investments made in each outlet range between $700,000 and $1 million, depending on the dimensions of each premise.

“Franchising had a very positive impact and offered us much support in facing the local slowdown,” said Ghostine. The restaurant already has branches in Kuwait, Dubai, the UAE, and the KSA.

Blends also owns Lebanese diner concepts Living Colors, Zahr El Laymoun, and Waterlemon. Ghostine said Blends is planning wider expansions throughout 2013. In June, the KSA will see the introduction of the first Waterlemon venue and the opening of a new Café Blanc. Another Café Blanc branch will be opening in Abu Dhabi in June.

Locally, Café Blanc has two branches in ABC Ashrafieh and in Verdun. Ghostine said Blends will become an exclusive birthday organizer at KidzMondo, the children's edutainment center that will be opening soon in Downtown. “We are planning to become caterers for a beach resort too, but the name is still undisclosed,” he said. Blends will also be the Food & Beverage provider for a new children's project in Jbeil.