Cashing on healthy green delight
Offering fresh, healthy and balanced diet at an affordable price, is a French saladbar concept ‘Green is better’ which is gearing up to extend its presence in Middle East. In an interview Guillaume Groleau CEO, Green is better shares company’s expansion plans.
Namita Bhagat (NB): Share the inception and concept of ‘Green is better’ with us.
Guillaume Groleau (GG): ‘Green is better’ is an innovative saladbar concept with its origin in France, offering fast, balanced and healthy meals at an affordable price. The stores offer tailor-made salads, full and balanced meals that can be eaten in the restaurant’s Green areas or taken out. It is a unifying concept based on major societal trends; to adopt healthier eating habits. Saladbar Green Is Better has become an international restaurant chain, which offers real business opportunity. Saladbar Green brings to you a unique franchise offer in fast food restaurant business.
NB: What are the core values of the brand? When and how did you plan to introduce the brand in Middle East?
GG: Green is better is based on four core values i.e. quality, proximity, innovation and dynamism and based on the principle of fresh and healthy produce at an affordable price. We accommodate both the ‘healthy eating’ commitment and the franchisee’s economic imperatives. The brand provides a broad variety of fresh and regional ingredients (over 50) offering almost unlimited number of possible combinations. The Middle East is a region that is close to our heart. We have already responded to numerous applications for opening of outlets in this part of the Globe.
NB: The brand has opted franchise model for expansion. Could you share the current and future expansion of the company both domestically and internationally?
GG: Saladbar Green brings the prospective franchisee a unique franchise offer in fast food restaurant business. The Green is Better network has already opened around thirty restaurants in France in 2010 alone, with more than 60 openings planned in 2011. Things are also expanding internationally, with 6 countries opened already and a number of projects in the pipeline. The Green network is growing by the day, with an average of five new outlets opening every month, making it one of the most dynamic networks.
NB: The company has recently forged an alliance to increase its footprint in the Middle East? Could you elaborate the nature of the agreement?
GG: Yes, we have so far selected a strong candidate in Qatar and we are under contract since December 2010 with our Qatari partner. It will develop and grow the brand in the region.
NB: What are the criteria for selecting your franchise business partner and what motivated you to opt for franchise model?
GG: The selection criteria are rigorous enough given the demands, and the ambition of the future partner and the energy he will deploy to expand its business will be very important. The model of point sale Green studied for this region will be identical, with perhaps an adaptation to the ‘MALL’ corner and a version to fit into refineries, military bases etc.
NB: What kind of expansion you are looking for in terms of number of locations and territories in the Middle East in the coming years?
GG: The potential openings for our brand across Middle East would be as 16 outlets in Qatar, 21 in Kuwait, 32 locations in Saudi Arabia, nine outlets in Oman, 40 locations in Emirates (including Dubai) and five stores in Bahrain.
NB: How well received do you think will be the concept of ‘Green is Better’ in the Middle East given the local taste preferences and food habits?
GG: The model is based saladbar will be as readily accepted or even better than other concepts as this urban embodiment of the ‘healthy eating’ culture attracts a very broad clientele including men, women, students, tertiary-sector workers, etc.
NB: What advice would you like to give to the entrepreneurs and businesses contemplating Master Franchisee/franchise deals in the Middle East?
GG: Well some countries or cities encourage foreign investment. Dubai, for example, provides benefits like no taxes or fees, ease of visa processing zones, repatriation of capital, legislation etc. The emirate attracts skilled immigrants from around the world so there is enough availability of the manpower. One can have more information and must learn more accurately from the country’s Chambers of Commerce about the business process in the region.
