E Brands Restaurants Plans Aggressive Expansion (Press Release)
-- Chain Leader, 8/26/2008 4:17:00 PM
(Orlando, FL; August 2008) - E Brands Restaurants, the Orlando-based, multi-concept restaurant group owned by CEO Rashid Choufani, announces an aggressive expansion plan with the addition of two new restaurants and one new nightspot in Florida by January 2009, and two new restaurants by late-2009. Building on the success of the company's established brands, Choufani, and E Brands Restaurants' President Charly Robinson, are rolling out two additional locations of their successful AquaKnox restaurant, while introducing new concepts, offering additional services, and taking-on a stronger presence in hotels. The group's growth project, which encompasses several company firsts - a new restaurant concept within Orlando's Walt Disney World Resort, and in Tampa, Florida, a fore into nightlife as well as operating the entire F&B operation in a Westin Hotel- is a testament to the continued evolution of E Brands Restaurants within the hospitality industry.
E Brands Restaurants was established in 2002 with the acquisition of the Timpano and Samba Room restaurants from Carlson Restaurants Worldwide. By 2004, Choufani and Robinson had revamped the brands and created structure within the management teams, resulting in a sales increase of over 30%. Five years later, E Brands Restaurants continues to evolve, offering new experiences to its guests across nine cities in seven states. "In just five short years we've significantly grown the portfolio. E Brands Restaurants grossed over $60 million in 2007 with 15 restaurants and now we are moving forward even further by building partnerships with world-renowned brands such as Walt Disney and The Venetian Resort in Las Vegas," says Choufani, who attributes the company's success to a shared passion for food and dedication to always offering the highest quality experiences to his guests. "We are extremely proud and excited for what the future holds," adds Robinson
A consummate businessman, Choufani owned and operated seven restaurants in Morocco and was President of the Moroccan Restaurant Association, prior to starting E Brands Restaurants in the US. Choufani was also responsible for opening Restaurant Marrakesh in the Moroccan Pavilion at Epcot 25-years ago. It is that long-lasting relationship with the Walt Disney World company that led to E Brands Restaurants' upcoming winter 2008 debut of a new concept in Orlando's Walt Disney World Resort. Located on the waterfront of the resort's Downtown Disney area, the high-energy, casual eatery will feature authentic Central and South American cuisine, specialty tequilas, premium wines, and live music. "This collaboration with Disney is just one of the many milestones we are making in the next year and an example of our ability to maintain strong relationships with our business partners," says Robinson.
Branching out further, E Brands Restaurants will introduce its third AquaKnox restaurant with the new location being in Tampa, Florida in January 2009, followed by its fourth location later in the year at a Hilton hotel in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. The Tampa location will be in a new waterfront Westin Hotel and is the first E Brands Restaurants' concept to provide breakfast, lunch, dinner, banquets and room service to the hotel's 255 rooms. "It's new territory for us and we've been waiting for an opportunity like this for some time. We're making significant additions to the operations for this location to accommodate all of the restaurant's new needs," says Robinson.
Also new for the company in January 2009, is BluVu, a rooftop level nightspot 17 stories above the AquaKnox at the Westin Tampa Bay Hotel. BluVu will be the first nightlife destination for the company and will have unobstructed ocean and city views.
The next piece to E Brands Restaurants' expansion plans is the company's first Timpanello restaurant, which will open in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in late-2009.
E Brands Restaurants, LLC, based in Orlando, FL, is a rapidly-growing, multi-concept restaurant group with 16 restaurants in six states. E Brands Restaurants' concepts include Timpano Chophouse & Martini Bar, Samba Room, David Burke Las Vegas, Taqueria Cañonita, Cañonita Express, and Aquaknox. With headquarters located in Orlando, FL, E Brands Restaurants has operations in Orlando, Las Vegas, Ft. Lauderdale, Tampa, Houston, Denver, Rockville, Naperville, and Atlanta. With a culture predicated on "Our Passion is Food - Our Obsession is Service(tm)," E Brands Restaurants is positioned as one of the top multi-concept groups in the country. For additional information, visit the E Brands Restaurants' Web site at www.E-Brands.net.
