Your first choice for traditional Emirati cuisine – Mallah

Mallah is an Emirati enterprise that was established in 2016 in the United Arab Emirates by two local businessmen who hoped to spread the traditional cuisine of their country throughout the world. The word “mallah” means “little pot” in Arabic.

Mallah is the first chain of fast food restaurants to specialize in Emirati cuisine, and it is the top option for anyone who enjoys real Emirati food. By selling the first franchise location in Abu Dhabi in 2020, Mallah has taken the first step towards going global.

1. How did you enter the franchise business?

The concept of Mallah was born through young local Partners Mr. Yousaf & Mr. Mubarak who has a passion for traditional food, explores the local traditional food world by research & offers the best kind of Local Traditional Food.

2. Where and how did the idea of your concept come from?

Launching of Mallah as a UAE Local Traditional brand with a very global appeal that would rival the global brands in unique taste and quality. The approach is to mainly grow and expand without looking back or fear the existing competitor. They believes their Local Traditional Food is the best, due to all his efforts in choosing top quality ingredients, rigorous staff training and education. They are not afraid to challenge the top guns and go at their own pace. Their main focus is on the wants and needs of every fellow Emirate giving his personal touch and innovating and experimenting food and secondly the international customers. Aiming that Mallah brand will be the favorite traditional house in town and to build an image different from other competitors.

3. What inspired the brand name?

Emirati traditional food was serving in big portions, while if you want to eat little quantity, it was quite difficult, we choose name MALLAH and selling traditional food in small potion which customers like very much.

4. What is the story behind the brand’s logo?

Logos are a point of identification; they’re the symbol that customers use to recognize your brand. Ideally, we want people to instantly connect the sight of our logo with the memory of what our company does – and, more importantly, how it makes them feel. We created our logo to show potential customers, traditional food available in original home taste in small portion.

5. What makes your brand different from your competitors?

In terms of branding, differentiation can relate to any combination of the following from the physical characteristics of your product or service, to the emotional response your brand triggers, aspects of its presentation, its price point such as very high or very low, your brand story, and even the customer experience. we are attracting our customer to maintain quality home made traditional food available in all sizes with competitive prices.

6. What are the essential qualities that you look for in a franchisee?

A positive attitude, all franchisers wants good people representing their brand. The ability to think for brand and apply some entrepreneurial traits to the business. An excitement and belief in the franchise’s product or service. People and communication skills.

7. How long does it take, on average, for your franchisee to realize their investment?

A high-investment, high street, high-stock franchise may take two to three years to break even. Whereas a ‘work from home’ franchise can start making a contribution in two to three months. Even within a single franchise, calculating the ROI or break even point can only be a rough science. According to our experience and expectation, have concluded that the point at which a franchiser’s investment in a new franchisee breaks even is, on average, between 22 and 24 months after the franchised business begins operating.

8. What was the major challenge you faced in your career and how did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges for any new franchisee is finding good people to work at your business, and keeping them around once you’ve found them. Employee turnover can be high at some franchise businesses, which means constantly searching for staff to fill shifts.

We tried to be strategic about our hiring: started by looking for a few responsible, motivated people who can be our trusted lieutenants. After we hire, we make sure to train people properly, and motivate our employees by making sure everyone understands the value of their role, and how it impacts the overall business. When people feel prepared to do their work, and understand the value it delivers, their job satisfaction is likely to rise. In turn, that will make it easier for you to keep good people around.

8.1 What is your best achievement?

Achievements are things you did that had a lasting impact for your company or client. It is a result that you personally bring about while fulfilling a particular role. Typically they are things that you created, built, designed, sold or initiated.
We consider our achievements to have 3 branches and 2 franchise in 4 to 5 years of business career also survive in corona situation while so many restaurants not able to remain and shut down their businesses.

9. How does your business day start?

The only way we’ll get customers is if other people know we’re in business. Word of mouth is the best form of marketing but that’ll come later, after we’ve built up a group of satisfied customers. The sooner we start bringing in money from the business, the healthier the business will be.
We focused on marketing to attract more and more customer on daily basis and maintain the quality of our food.

10. What was your best moment throughout your franchise career?

The Sale of our first franchise which was our great achievement, this event open on us new doors of enhance and expand our business.

11. Where do you see your brand in the next 5 years?

A long-term or long-range business plan looks beyond the traditional 3-year planning window, focusing on what a business might look like 5 or even 10 years from now. A traditional 5-year business plan includes financial projections, business strategy, and road maps that stretch far into the future.

Our ambition is have branches in all emirates as well as all gulf countries specially, we are looking great business opportunities in Saudi Arabia and Oman.

12. Any tips you want to impart to our readers who want to be in the franchise industry?

Before starting a franchise business, you must do thorough research into the franchise system you are considering. The best time to know whether a particular franchise system works for you is before signing the contract or handing over the money. So ensure you get as much knowledge as possible on the basics of franchising and the industry you are interested in.

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