GFA a pioneer in multi-branded restaurant reaches 100 stores in Thailand
Pioneers in multi-branding, GFA Corporation Thailand, Ltd builds, operates and franchises nine brands of quick-service restaurants, each brand with its own specialty.
These specialty brands have been developed to meet the demand of the public with delicious products made with high-quality ingredients.
‘Our niche brands are resonating with the public,’ said Fred Mouawad, GFA Corp Founder, Chairman and CEO, pointing to the 60 stores under GFA that have opened in the last four years, bringing the total to 100.
The first Pizza Corner, was established 10 years ago, and today eight other brands have been launched under the GFA umbrella_ The Cream & Fudge Factory, Conizza – Pinzza in cone, The Donut Baker, New York Deli, Golden Pretzel, Juisomania, Stone Fire Pizza Kitchen and the well-known Coffee World.
Such a range of brands requires strong management skills, and GFA is prepared. ‘We’re highly disciplined and relentlessly focused on our customers,’ Mouawad said. ‘We believe in building people capabilities, processes, and managing by collecting the right information.’ The GFA manufacturing and business processes are based on ‘Lean Six Sigma’ methodologies to ensure a high level of quality control.
GFA’s Qualitiy Management System is now rated at the highest professional level with ISO 9001-2000 certification.
Providing market studies, site evaluations, store designs, information technology, GFA also has a factory that manufactures the purpose-designed fixtures for each store, a great support for franchisees. At present, of the 100 stores in Thailand, 25 per cent are franchised.
The GFA brands are managed with great flexibility. ‘In our portfolio of these specialty brands, we also have ‘combination stores’, with two or more brands located within the same space offering more variety to our customers,’ Mouawad said.
The Swiss-based company is also expanding internationally. Apart from this country, its nine brands <its Stone Fire Pizza Kitchen has not yet opened in Thailand> have launched 105 stores in 10 other countries_ the USA, India, UAE, Oman, Sudan, China <Hainan>, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Reunion Island and Burma.
GFA has just signed in Oman and Sudan and will open in Kartoum by August. ‘With our full, comprehensive support services, we are attracting a lot of high qualified international franchise partners,’ Mouawad said.
In Thailand, GFA aims to grow by 20 per cent for the next four years to double the number of shops to 200. ‘All we need are good locations’, he said.
For additional information on GFA activities as well as restaurant locations, check out their website www.gfacorp.com
