Just Falafel’s Lebanese problem

ENAR

Time and again we hear of Lebanese having more success at home than abroad, so often that it is starting to become a cliché. Yet like most clichés, there lies a strand of truth behind stories of their successes. The case of Just Falafel provides yet another telling example. The firm, founded in 2007 in the United Arab Emirates by Lebanese-British entrepreneur Fadi Malas, is making a big name for itself globally. By taking humble Lebanese falafel and marketing it as a clean and healthy alternative to fast food, the company has brought it to new markets — primarily the Gulf but now also the United Kingdom, North America and soon to be India. So far the group says they have over 1,000 franchises in 19 countries worldwide, while profits doubled to $3.5 million in 2012. An initial public offering is rumored to be in the offing, which Malas says