A LOCAL fast food chain specializing in Middle Eastern fare is planning to go global.

Guesting in SMNI’s weekly public affairs program “Business and Politics,” hosted by The Manila Times Chairman and CEO Dante “Klink” Ang 2nd, Shawarma Shack owner Walter Uzi Buenavista said his ultimate goal is for Shawarma Shack to go global.

“Overall, we are currently studying it and how we will endorse our brand in other markets. This is because they have different languages, cultures, and most importantly, different diets,” Buenavista said in a follow-up interview after the program.

He said his business has been faring better than in the last three years, mirroring the economy’s trend toward recovery.“I think that the economy now has been better overall, but this is based on the feeling of coming out of the pandemic. In addition, there is also the feeling that many investors now are coming to the Philippines to invest, and the business climate overall feels great,”

Buenavista said.

He expressed confidence that Shawarma Shack will continue to grow despite the macroeconomic challenges.

The growth will be driven by the opening of classes and the projected pick-up of revenues in the latter months of the year.

“I believe that overall, Shawarma Shack will continue to grow until the end of 2023. This is because of the lowering of prices for our ingredients, the slight slowing down of inflation, and the current period of opening of our classes,” he said.

“Moreover, we also plan to open more branches during the end months of 2023, or what you would call the ‘-ber months,’ where I believe the business economy is most active,” he added.

Buenavista plans to open around 100 Shawarma Shack branches by year-end, having already opened 50 to 60 stores this year.

“We have around 750 branches nationwide and plan to continue growing,” he said.

Buenavista said he and Shawarma Shack have gone through some difficult times to get to where they are now as a franchise brand. Still, he is not satisfied.

“Raised in a business-oriented family, many aspects of me have changed. Before, I was a hothead and was inexperienced, and it manifested a lot when you are the one doing everything,” Buenavista said.

But once a system is in place, “everything will flow smoothly, and the business will be able to run even without you being there,” he said.

Anyone interested in starting a business “must always try to get into one. And whether you succeed or fail, it is important that you must learn and grow from the experiences you had,” he added.