SA firm opens branches in Mutare:

KAUANE Investments has partnered internationally acclaimed Barcelos Restaurant Group to open food outlets in Zimbabwe.

THE South Africa-based restaurant chain founded by Mr Costa Mazzis and best known for its casual dining and flame grilled peri-peri chicken, will inject millions of American dollars as it seeks to open outlets in Harare, Mutare, Rusape, Bulawayo, Vic Falls, Gweru and Beitbridge.

Kaune Investments country operations manager Mr Cleopas Mugomba told The Business Post on Wednesday that they were excited to be the South African restaurant chain’s local franchise holder.

“We are excited to provide services in Zimbabwe in response to President Mnangagwa’s mantra ‘Zimbabwe is open for business’. We found it befitting to invest and open branches in Zimbabwe because the operational environment is investor friendly. We are also looking at opportunities to grow the Barcelos brand here in Zimbabwe,” said Mr Mugomba.

He said the investment will create employment opportunities.

“Each independent outlet will employ 30 to 35 people from the local communities, who will undergo special training by the company so that they perform to our internationally-acclaimed standards,” Mr Mugomba added.

Barcelos has so far opened two outlets in Harare and another in Bulawayo.

“We promise our customers the best flame-grilled chicken in town. It will be flame-grilled to perfection in an awesome unique store environment. We are also here to compete with the best there is in sector,” he said.

Barcelos, which started off in Pretoria in 1993, has over 120 outlets with a footprint in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Botswana, Namibia, Turkey Egypt, Pakistan, India, Maldives, Mauritius, Sudan, Canada, Jordan, Mozambique and Iran.

Barcelos also plans to open some outlets in Zambia and Swaziland over the next 12 months, with plans for expansion into other regional countries.