DUBAI // A chance meeting between two entrepreneurs dropping their children off at school has sparked an idea to create a network that helps bring fun and joy to people.
The pace of modern life often makes it difficult to take stock and enjoy the small things – but this is something Swede Jesper Wiren and Dutchman Pieter-Jan van Linden hope to change with their company Goats Don’t Shave.
“People walk around with a facade of seriousness and stress all the time, so we felt it was important to find a way of getting through that and encouraging people to have fun,” said Mr Wiren.
“People take themselves way too seriously and men, in particular, seem to be afraid of stuff that they enjoy.”
The aim of their venture is simple – to put the “manliness” back into having fun, albeit without excluding women.
“It’s not about excluding people, but getting people together in an environment that is conducive to them being able to be themselves,” said Mr Wiren, who runs a kitchen supplies business in Dubai.
An important first step is “The Square” barbecue that the pair have designed using only stainless-steel materials.
“We needed a coat hanger of sorts to start and we thought, ‘why not create a barbecue that is reliable and robust enough to survive the conditions in the UAE’,” said Mr Wiren.
“This environment, in particular, is tough on barbecues.”
The high humidity and heat in the UAE means that normal barbecues wear out relatively quick. With that in mind, the pair opted for a stainless-steel design so it does not rust and is more durable than most other barbecues.
The Square is 360mm in diameter and can cook for up to six people at a time.
The units are manufactured in small amounts at a Ajman factory and went on sale two weeks ago for Dh2,600.
“It’s not so much the grill itself but the fact that barbecues are a great place to meet people, relax and have fun and that’s the kind of thing we want to encourage,” said Mr Wiren, who named the company after his favourite Irish folk band.
An important aspect the company wants to push is the lifestyle associated with their products. Eventually they would like to have people all over the world visiting their website to find a bar or restaurant that they can go to and are welcomed in because they are part of the Goats Don’t Shave community.
Another part of the plan is a larger barbecue grill called the “Suckerpunch”. This is now in a prototype phase but is expected to go on sale in the first quarter of next year.
It features a smoker that adds a distinctive smoked flavour to grilled foods.
Its price has not yet been set.
Mr van Linden, who works as a general manager at a Swedish hoist construction company in his day job, said the ambition in the longer term was to expand the type of products they produce to include beer and wine.
“The barbecue is very much something to begin with but, eventually, we want to create a community of like-minded people,” he said.
“I play rugby and no matter where you go in the world you can go to a club and be welcomed because you have a shared passion. That is something we would like to develop with Goats Don’t Shave.”
The company is looking at ways to link up with bars, cafes, restaurants and clubs they feel would help promote the fun lifestyle they want to represent.
The barbecues are available from Cafe Rider in Al Quoz, Dubai. For more details visit www.goatsdontshave.org.
nhanif@thenational.ae
