George Kunnappally, Managing Director, Nando’s UAE
George Kunnappally, Managing Director of Nando’s UAE, is a seasoned hospitality industry professional, who has been into F&B franchise operations, management and brand development for 25 years. He has launched and/or grown brands such as Subway, Charley’s Philly Steaks, Whittard of Chelsea, Bateaux Dubai, Second Cup Coffee, Johnny Rockets and a host of UAE bred concepts in the Middle East, Africa and CIS regions.
Starting his career with the Taj Hotels in India, Kunnappally has worked at the senior management level with large conglomerates headquartered in Dubai with a MENA footprint. He is on the advisory board of the UAE Superbrands Council, UAE Restaurants Group (under the aegis of the Dubai Chamber of Commerce & Industry), Middle East Food Forum and Fast Food & Cafe Convention.
Nando’s is a people first business, and any digital or technological investments are purely driven by consumer need or to improve the customer experience. The brand has implemented Pay at the Table solution, waiter paging system for outdoor tables, inventory management system for better utilisation of stocks and food prep forecasting for speed of service.
Inspired by the PERi-PERi flavour, from day one, Fernando Duarte and Robbie Brozin had great ambitions to build a business around it. In South Africa at first, but it wasn’t long before the brand moved abroad – now present on five continents, across 19 countries and with over 1,200 restaurants, more affectionately known as “Casas” – the Portuguese word for “home”.
The Nando’s flame first ignited in the UAE in 2002, when franchisee Suhail Gidwani, Chairman & CEO of Nando’s UAE LLC, opened the first Casa on Sheikh Zayed Road. Nando’s currently employs people from 20 different nationalities across the 20 restaurants and 1 dark kitchen, Central Support (head office) and call centre in the UAE. Despite incurring heavy losses in FY2020 owning to the detrimental effects of the pandemic, Nando’s UAE broke even in FY2021 and recorded its best year since launching the business 20 years ago in FY2022.
Watsons to open 20 new stores in the GCC
In 2020, global health & beauty retailer AS Watson Group signed its
April 29, 2024 | By Rupkatha B / 
What does it take to sustain profitable growth in the post-IPO phase?
Mahalle began its operations in 2022 as an “Authentic Turkish Grocery in
“Retail is a people’s business. When building a retail brand or the
From being one of the first retailers in Dubai to ban single-use
For starters, Rabbit is a growing e-commerce grocery platform in Egypt always
In 2024 grocery retail major Choithrams has achieved several milestones underscoring its
Industry pioneers are embracing a comprehensive strategy that integrates consumer insights, digital
The regional grocery retail market is evolving fast keeping pace with constantly
From ethical and local sourcing to adopting cutting-edge technologies to curb food
The regional grocery retail market is becoming more and more diverse, offering
/ 
bkry, one of Alserkal Avenue’s newest residents, goes beyond the cookie cutter
Located at Kempinski Central Avenue, Zenon combines modern technology with luxurious dining,
Founded over 20 years ago by restaurateurs Alexey and Dmitry Vasilchuk, the
Founded in 2007 by Kim Thompson and Matt Toogood, UAE-based RAW Coffee
US-based company SAMBAZON, an acronym for ‘Sustainable Management of the Brazilian Amazon’,
Yolk Brands’ remarkable journey began humbly in April 2019 with the launch
The UAE, particularly Dubai, is a melting pot of cultures. However, introducing
Rapidly expanding its presence in the region, Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons
Founded in 2010 by siblings Vivien and Howard Wong, Little Moons began
Setting the pace for the recently concluded Food Business Summit 2024, in
The food industry is constantly undergoing transformation through innovative approaches, operations and
Previous Article
