EU Business News August 2017

EU BUSINESS NEWS / August 2017 7 NEWS , German Doner Ke- bab (GDK) - the cre- ator of the ‘German Engineered Doner Kebab’ - is fast-becoming one of the big success stories in fran- chising. Launched in the UK by Glas- gow-based company United Brands in 2016, it has already signed up around 200 franchise locations across England, Scot- land and Wales, with some stores turning over more than £30,000 a week. The UK success has been such that United Brands, recently an- nounced it has purchased the worldwide rights to the GDK brand. United’s owners, the Sar- war family, operate one of Scot- land’s most successful business groups. The £230 million empire encompasses a wholesale cash and carry business, 532 fran- chised convenience stores, a chain of pubs, Asian restaurants and a pharmacy group. GDK International is now seeking Master Franchise partners across the globe to build on its already impressive portfolio of around 60 global franchise stores in the UAE (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah), Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Pakistan, Sweden and the UK. The company’s UK manage- ment team has recently been enhanced with the appointment of several senior managers from leading global food and beverage franchise brands into key posi- tions such as operations director and director for training, store de- velopment and operational excel- lence. In addition, the company is rolling out a brand-new look and feel to the stores. GDK was created in Germany in 1989, with the vision of creating classic, authentic and healthy kebabs, combining high quality produce with excellent customer service. A GDK kebab has less than half the calories of a regular kebab, as it only uses 100% lean, succulent, halal meat, along with handmade breads and signature sauces. The ingredients are sup- plied centrally from Germany to ensure consistent quality. GDK International CEO, Imran Sayeed, explains: “We seriously believe in this brand, all of our UK stores are doing unbelievably well. So, when the opportunity came up to buy the worldwide brand we had to take it. There is nothing else like GDK, it offers a unique opportunity for serious in- vestors. GDK is focused on qual- ity, and is committed to changing people’s perception of the kebab. “The fast food market is very competitive with several gourmet burger brands entering the sector however GDK brings in a new di- mension to the kebab market by offering a quality fresh gourmet range which is also healthy… a kebab without the guilt. messaging platforms to enable shopping with a conversational interface. Daren Tan, managing partner of Golden Equator Capital, said: “Following the success of the first Technology and Innovation Fund, we are looking to invest across the Southeast Asia region in ver- ticals where we can add strategic value—addressing bottlenecks or pain points. For example, Indone- sia’s fragmented geography pos- es ongoing challenges to e-com- merce and logistics, providing an opportunity for tech start-ups to solve and disrupt how products can now reach new customer bases in the most efficient man- ner.” “We see the value Sale Stock brings to Indonesia’s ecommerce space – its tech-driven platform successfully reaches Indonesia’s fast growing and relatively un- tapped middle-class markets in tier 2 and tier 3 cities. 70% of Sale Stock’s customers in these cities are making their first ecommerce transactions, demonstrating the company’s unique advantage and potential for growth in Indonesia’s fast evolving digital economy,” Daren concluded. Golden Equator Capital invests in Series A and B companies, with a focus on digital marketplaces, fintech and enterprise solutions, in areas such as healthcare and urban solutions. Invested through Golden Equator Capital’s Tech- nology and Innovation Fund II, a targeted S$100 million fund, Sale Stock marks Golden Equator Capital’s first investment from this fund. Golden Equator Capital’s portfolio companies, through its first Technology and Innovation Fund, include notable companies such as M17 (previously known as Paktor), MC Payment, Glints, Vault Dragon and Eunoia. Indonesia’s ecommerce is driv- en by the growth of the middle class and of tier 2 and 3 cities where access to retail is limited. According to a study by Google and Temasek, Southeast Asia’s ecommerce market is projected to reach US$88 billion by 2025, with Indonesia comprising 52% of the total market. Success Leads to United Brands Acquiring Worldwide Franchise Rights for German Doner Kebab Sayeed adds: “We are current- ly looking for ambitious master franchise partners worldwide, and it’s our aim to have 700 franchise stores open in the UK and Ireland over the next 10 years, and a fur- ther 1500 stores open worldwide in the same time-frame. GDK is a very simple franchise to operate as it does not require a qualified chef to prepare the meals, it’s more a case of assembling the ingredients…. the German Engi- neered Kebab. One million fans on our international Facebook page can’t be wrong!” The GDK franchisee fee is £15,000, with the total invest- ment required between £200,000 - £300,000 dependant on the condition of the unit and size. Locations must can generate revenues of at least £15k a week which means locations must have enough covers for dine in and space for takeaway (min 1000 sq. ft.). For further details about investing in a GDK franchise please con- tact ben@germandonerkebab. com or visit www.germandon- erkebab.com