JF Street Food, which until recently was known as Just Falafel, has closed its four outlets in London and is slowing down its expansion plans.
One of Dubai’s fastest-growing fast-food outlets decided to “close down the existing UK locations as they were created from our previous business model, branding and menu”, said Mike Biggins, the chief operating officer.
JF Street Food said it would be changing its strategy for the UK “with a new, highly experienced restaurant operator capable of rolling out our new menu, look and feel”.
Mr Biggins, who previously ran Just Falafel’s UK restaurants, said: “We are taking a much more pragmatic and patient approach to develop a fewer number of high-performing locations in the UK to establish a platform for strategic growth.”
The UK’s large vegetarian market segment did not translate into enough people to make “the top line strong enough”, he said in an interview in January.
The falafel outlet opened in Covent Garden and Baker Street, Marylebone, in 2013 when it had plans to open 20 more in the UK that year.
The company, whose rapid expansion fuelled possibilities of an initial public offering, has closed a number of franchises across the world.
It closed shops in Lebanon because of the uncertain political and economic situation. In 2011, it announced its opening in Amman, Jordan, but also closed there.
It is now expanding in North America and Australia. Last year it started operations in Sydney and Toronto.
The chain is now present in eight countries with 30 outlets, excluding 11 in the UAE.
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The rules on fostering in the UAE
A foster couple or family must:
- be Muslim, Emirati and be residing in the UAE
- not be younger than 25 years old
- not have been convicted of offences or crimes involving moral turpitude
- be free of infectious diseases or psychological and mental disorders
- have the ability to support its members and the foster child financially
- undertake to treat and raise the child in a proper manner and take care of his or her health and well-being
- A single, divorced or widowed Muslim Emirati female, residing in the UAE may apply to foster a child if she is at least 30 years old and able to support the child financially
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
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Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
