Bakchich, the Lebanese healthy-eating brand, is looking to roll out across the North, Midlands and Scotland over the next five years, MCA has learnt.
Led by Otto Mellouki and Amine Elgueddar under the Al Manal Group, the pair are about to open their second site in Liverpool and third overall, with plans for a second in Manchester.
After this they hope to open in Leeds, Newcastle, York, Birmingham, Nottingham, Sheffield, Edinburgh and Glasgow, with the possibility of Express format stores in Preston and Huddersfield.
They also operate Koop, an American style fried chicken concept, with their second site in Liverpool opening under franchise, and plans to roll out two each year under a master franchise agreement.
The group also operates Kasbah, a Moroccan restaurant concept in Liverpool, and they are looking in Manchester for a second site.
Elgueddar told MCA the new Bakchich site, which opens in Williamson Square in three weeks, would be their flagship
He said: “It will be the same healthy, fresh, clean Lebanese food, though whenever we open a new place we always try and improve the operation.
“We’d like to be the leader in the North West in Arabic food. The concept can work anywhere – in shopping malls, airports, high streets.
“The reason we want to concentrate on the north, is because in London the rents are high, costs are expense. We know the North West. It’s still a virgin market in terms of the type of food we provide.”
The concept will have a strong focus on vegan and vegetarian food, though will also have charcoal grilled meat too.
Elgueddar said they had received lots of approaches about investment, particularly from the Middle East – though said they were looking for the right investor with a shared vision and were in no hurry.
He added “We are taking it slowly but surely, we’re not here to do 20 sites in two years, we’re building a brand organically.”
