Falafel purveyor embraces roots, modernity in rebrand
By Amelia Gundersen-Herman
Fried to perfection and served in a variety of multicultural guises, the falafels at Just Falafel have begun to spread the joy of the chickpea around the world. The UAE-based brand has recently announced a rebrand to JF Street Food as part of a repositioning of the brand to appeal to global tastes and local franchisees.
The franchise model has spurred JF from its Abu Dhabi home – where the first store opened in 2007 – to London, India, Australia, Canada and beyond. Though the shift capitalises on the ‘street food’ trend that has swept the world, JF’s commitment to its heritage remains true throughout the repositioning.
With a new name and menu, the purveyor of the Middle Eastern staple is also looking to update its employee workwear and create a mural for its new concept stores. A competition for homegrown fashion creatives will meet that objective while providing a platform for a local fashion designer and artist to attract notice on an international level.
The merciless expansion has been overseen by co-founder Mohammed Bitar. CEO Fadi Malas departed the company last year, allowing Bitar to assume day-to-day operational oversight. Chief operating officer, Mike Biggins has been deputized as the manager for the change programme.
“Our immediate priorities including the streamlining of our operations to optimize resources and efficiency, while concentrating on Just Falafel’s fundamentals of high quality, nutritious street food and excellent service in ideal locations for our growing customer base,” Bitar said when Malas left the business in August 2014.
Though the JF marque has been prominent on Just Falafel’s signage and uniforms for some time, the change to JF Street Food makes the rebrand official.
