The South African take-away loved by celebrities, sports stars, and royalty
There is one thing Prince William, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Luke Humphries, Wiz Khalifa, Jay-Z, and David Beckham have in common – they all love Nando’s.
Nando’s was founded by Fernando Duarte and Robert Brozin in 1987. They opened their first restaurant in Rosettenville, Johannesburg.
At the time, Portuguese or Peri Peri chicken, which came from Mozambique, wasn’t very popular in South Africa or globally.
However, Brozin and Duarte believed there was a market for Peri Peri chicken and decided to enter the restaurant business despite lacking experience.
They joined forces to buy a 67% stake in Chickenland, a Portuguese take-out restaurant the two friends used to frequent.
The restaurant served everything from fried fish to boiled eggs. However, the chicken stood out because it was so delicious.
They decided to focus on chicken and create a brand to introduce Portuguese Peri Peri chicken to the world.
Brozin knew that they needed a strong name for their business, and they considered naming it Fernando’s.
However, that name was already taken by a bed and breakfast in Port Elizabeth. Ultimately, they decided to name the business after Duarte’s son, Nando.
They opened the first Nando’s restaurant in 1987 in Rosettenville, Johannesburg. It was an instant hit, and they began opening new outlets.
From the outset, they had ambitions to take the Nando’s brand global. “It was part of our vision because we felt the world hadn’t really experienced Peri Peri chicken,” Brozin said.
They met Richard Enthoven, a South African businessman who played a key role in building several successful businesses and would eventually become a dollar billionaire.
He hit it off with Brozin and Duarte, and their flame-grilled chicken blew him away, so he agreed to back the business with his capital and business acumen.
In 1992, Enthoven agreed to bankroll their UK expansion, and his family held a majority stake in the international businesses.
Today, Nando’s has grown to well-above 1,000 restaurants globally, with locations in 21 countries, including Australia, the United States, and the UAE.
Notably, it has a bigger footprint in the United Kingdom than in South Africa, with 475 stores. It includes 417 in England, 33 in Scotland, 14 in Wales, and 11 in Northern Ireland.
That does not mean it is neglecting South Africa. Nando’s has a footprint of around 300 restaurants in its home market.
For the financial year ending 25 February 2024, Nando’s Group Holdings Limited reported a turnover of £1.366 billion, up from £1.27 billion in 2023. While the company still posted a pre-tax loss, it managed to reduce it significantly.
Nando’s is world-famous
Apart from the runaway success of the South African fast-food brand, another standout feature is its popularity among all sectors of society.
Ask celebrities, sports stars, and even royalty what takeaway meals they prefer, and Nando’s will be mentioned regularly.
They include Prince William, Prince Harry, Taylor Swift, Beyoncé, Ed Sheeran, Luke Humpries, Wiz Khalifa, Jay-Z, and David Beckham.
Prince William was introduced to the popular South African Peri Peri chicken restaurant chain by one of his Met Police protection officers.
“This man here is your biggest fan,” he said after meeting Nando’s founder Brozin. “He introduced me to Nando’s, it’s very good, he should buy a stake in Nando’s.”
Music superstar Taylor Swift also loves the brand. Her favourite dishes include a Mango & Lime chicken wrap, corn on the cob, spicy rice, and a side of halloumi.
Ed Sheeran is a huge fan of Nando’s and has even had a song about it with Example, called “The Nando’s Skank”.
Many sports stars, like the world’s top darts player, Luke Humphries, love Nando’s. He said his pre-match meal before every time he plays is Nando’s.
“Usually, it’s chicken butterfly with rice and chips, Peri Tamer. Sometimes it can be medium heated, four chicken thighs, mash, and broccoli,” he said.
NBA Hall-of-Famer Tony Parker has taken his love for Nando’s to the next level. He has a personal Nando’s restaurant in his 10-bedroom Texas Hill Country mansion.
Parker, the former Spurs star point guard, revealed his personal 24-hour Nando’s live on Twitch during a tour of his home.
Inside Nando’s
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