Nando's: Love at first bite

Behind the magic at Nando's is an extraordinary story. As the brand completes 20 years of its inception in the UAE, the journey has been nothing short of a feat

Your love for Nando's is probably already super strong. Almost all of us have enjoyed the restaurant chain's famous flame-grilled PERi-PERi chicken at least once in our lives, and if not then you are really missing out on action.

Famed for its rich and hot PERi-PERi sauces, the home of legendary Portuguese chicken has acquired a special place in the hearts of millions of people around the globe. So, what is the secret behind the rise of this South African restaurant?

South of Johannesburg, an authentic Portuguese flame-grilled chicken restaurant called 'Chickenland' was discovered by two best friends - Robert Brozin and Fernado Duarte. The first taste of the chicken inspired them so much, that they resigned from their jobs and bought the restaurant, giving a new name to it - Nando's.

Sizzling the hearts of customers with its glorious PERi-PERi sauce, Nando's has not just curated the perfect blend of ingredients, but its host of other delectable dishes has ignited a strong passion of love, keeping its fans coming back for more. From its humble beginnings, the brand has grown to be a favourite amongst the flamed-grilled chicken enthusiasts worldwide. The bird, staple on the menu, represents the five core values - pride, passion, courage, integrity and family.

An incredible 20 years

For a brand to complete a milestone of 20 years is nothing short of a feat. The legendary restaurant has served over 20 million guests and has opened 20 stores in the heart of UAE. Looking back at the company's achievements, Brozin and Duarte who were in Dubai last month to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the restaurant said that Nando's astounding success story is attributed to its ethos of 'changing and touching people’s lives’. Brozin said: "As a brand, Nando's has forever been young. Looking back at the wonderful two decades, it still feels fresh, but we are extremely proud of our journey. It is a moment of real reflection and joy. Our only aim is to build a brand with a purpose, feeling and something real."

Elaborating on the same, Suhail Gidwani, CEO and Chairman at Nando's UAE, quips: "When I first signed the agreement, the one thing I said to myself was that Nando's is going to be the largest, biggest producing franchise in the world. And I think we have achieved that."

It was an all-consuming love at first bite and the beginning of a passionate, fiery journey that changed the way people saw (and ate) chicken. It's a journey that continues in every Nando's restaurant across the globe. Reiterating on the significant achievements of the brand, Gidwani added: "Our first moment of achievement was when we had customers walk in and taste something they never tasted before. I had a similar feeling when I went to Johannesburg and as soon as I took the first bite, I was completely blown away. It was then I decided to sign the deal."

"The second milestone was the day when we hit our first one-billion-dirham turnover in the UAE," Gidwani said.

The new sources and flavours from South Africa is what keeps Nando's thriving and will continue in the coming years as well. Gidwani believes that the UAE is critical to the Nando's brand. Elaborating on the growing success of Nando's in the country, he said: "The UAE is still a growing nation. A lot of different cities are being built. We will keep expanding to areas where we see the need for Nando's from a customer's point of view. The brand is constantly evolving. We are at 20 stores today, and we aim for 50. There's no stopping now."