Just Falafel is no more. The company, whose fast growth had been cooling of late, is changing its name.
It will henceforth be known as JF Street Food.
“Having recently taken Just Falafel back to basics with a completely revamped menu, we wanted our staff and restaurants to get a fresh look to go with it,” Mohamad Bitar, founding partner and managing director, said in a statement yesterday.
Company officials could not be reached to answer questions about the change.
At the chain’s outlet in Abu Dhabi’s Al Mamoura area, signs had not yet been changed yesterday, and staff said they did not know when the change was coming.
Internationally, the company has said that there has been a change in its business in the UK market, where it has three outlets, including central London’s Covent Garden, where it opened in 2011, and Marylebone. The company has declined to give details.
According to a spokeswoman, Just Falafel had closed shops in Lebanon because of the political and economic situation there.
In 2011, it announced its opening in Amman, the capital of Jordan, but closed there as well. Its more recent focus areas for expansion are the United States, Canada and Australia.
From beginnings in 2007, the company had taken a humble Arabic street food, the falafel, to far-flung places. Last year it started operations under franchise agreements at Sydney’s railway station and in Toronto, among other places.
In 2012, the company’s former chief announced an ambitious goal of opening one outlet a week, fuelling expectations of an initial public offering . The company has been talking about an IPO for at least a couple of years.
Last year, though, it said it was slowing down the pace of its franchising.
The chain is now present in eight countries with 40 outlets, including 12 in the UAE. It had 25 outlets in 2012, according to the company.
The chain has yet to enter India, a plan it announced last year.
ssahoo@thenational.ae
Follow The National's Business section on Twitter
