Habib's

Habib's is a Brazilian fast food franchising specialised in Middle Eastern cuisine. It has more than 300 outlets (many of them self-owned) across the country and has recently begun expansion into foreign markets. It is known for very low prices and exotic dishes. Middle Eastern dishes are very popular in Brazil ever since the immigration of people from that area (particularly Lebanon and Syria) into Brazil, despite their numbers being less than 7% of the overall population.

History

Habib's was founded by a Portuguese-born baker, Alberto Saraiva, with no ties with the Middle East, who got the idea early in 1988 after an ailing old man of Arab descent applied for a job. He had no job for the man, but upon learning that he had been a cook back in his home land, Mr. Saraiva decided to open a small fast-food restaurant and hired the man. The first Habib's restaurant was opened later that same year.

Before Habib's, Middle Eastern cuisine, despite being popular, was not readily available and the prices were usually high. The repressed demand was strong and people queued in front of the restaurant almost since the first day. Catering for this demand, Habib's soon started to grow and became one of Brazil's most thriving businesses. The Habib's is nowadays, the biggest Arabic fast-food in the world and the third biggest fast-food company in Brazil.

Business model

Habib's serves popular Middle Eastern dishes, like......
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