JF Street Food, which until recently was known as Just Falafel, has closed its four outlets in London and is slowing down its expansion plans.
One of Dubai’s fastest-growing fast-food outlets decided to “close down the existing UK locations as they were created from our previous business model, branding and menu”, said Mike Biggins, the chief operating officer.
JF Street Food said it would be changing its strategy for the UK “with a new, highly experienced restaurant operator capable of rolling out our new menu, look and feel”.
Mr Biggins, who previously ran Just Falafel’s UK restaurants, said: “We are taking a much more pragmatic and patient approach to develop a fewer number of high-performing locations in the UK to establish a platform for strategic growth.”
The UK’s large vegetarian market segment did not translate into enough people to make “the top line strong enough”, he said in an interview in January.
The falafel outlet opened in Covent Garden and Baker Street, Marylebone, in 2013 when it had plans to open 20 more in the UK that year.
The company, whose rapid expansion fuelled possibilities of an initial public offering, has closed a number of franchises across the world.
It closed shops in Lebanon because of the uncertain political and economic situation. In 2011, it announced its opening in Amman, Jordan, but also closed there.
It is now expanding in North America and Australia. Last year it started operations in Sydney and Toronto.
The chain is now present in eight countries with 30 outlets, excluding 11 in the UAE.
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