Kitopi acquires F&B group AWJ

Kitopi acquires F&B group AWJ

Kitopi has acquired the Dubai-founded F&B group, AWJ, which is the holding company behind delivery and dine-in brands such as Operation Falafel, Catch 22, Awani, Sushi Do and more. The group operates more than 32 outlets across the UAE and Saudi Arabia; Operation Falafel serves over two million customers globally per year. AWJ also has franchises in New York and London, and has over 1,300 employees. AWJ’s concepts were created and developed by co-founding Director Manhal Naser, who has acted as the group’s CEO since its launch, and co-founding director Tamer Bazzari, who chaired the corporate vehicle of the fund and was the investment manager. The acquisition announcement comes as part of Kitopi’s ongoing strategy to invest in and grow regional brands and take them global. Primarily known as a cloud kitchen, today Kitopi defines itself as “a tech-powered, multi-brand restaurant with over 100 brands, operating in over 200+ locations across five markets”. The deal, which occurred for an undisclosed amount, will see the AWJ group of brands explore expansion in new markets where Kitopi has a strong presence and a growing network of locations. AWJ will also benefit from Kitopi’s pioneering tech SKOS (Smart Kitchen Operating System), one of