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Fat Brands acquires Yalla Mediterranean

Fast-casual brand joins portfolio of Fatburger and Buffalo’s Café

Joanna Fantozzi, Senior Editor

December 4, 2018

2 Min Read
Mediterranean
Yalla Mediterranean

Yalla Mediterranean — a Manhattan Beach, Calif.-based fast-casual chain serving build-your-own wraps, salads, and platters — was acquired by Fat Brands Inc., officials said Tuesday.

Terms were not disclosed. But Yalla Mediterranean joins the Fat Brands portfolio, which also includes the Fatburger chain; Buffalo’s Café and Buffalo Express; Hurricane Grill & Wings; and the buffet/steakhouse chains Ponderosa and Bonanza Steakhouse.

fatbrands_1.jpg“This brand meets our core values — fresh, authentic, tasty — we believe the healthy Mediterranean space has significant white space to grow franchise development,” said Fat Brands CEO Andy Wiederhorn.

Designed to be healthful and vegetable-forward, Yalla Mediterranean’s menu includes options like Greek wraps, power greens salads, and basmati rice platters topped with protein options like shawarma, grilled chicken, and Impossible meat, with entrée’s ranging from about $8.95 to $10.95. 

Yalla is one of a growing number of fast-casual Mediterranean concepts poised to grow, with expansion plans in Southern California.

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The concept was born out of the Daphne’s chain, when it was owned by Victory Park Capital Advisors in 2015. The company developed Yalla Mediterranean initially with the goal of converting existing Daphne’s locations.

Related:12 fast-casual Mediterranean concepts poised to grow

After opening seven Yalla units, Victory Capital divested the remaining Daphne’s and kept Yalla, reorganizing the company and moving the headquarters to Manhattan Beach. Michael Goldberg, a co-founder of the Fresh Brothers Pizza chain, was named Yalla’s CEO. 

Yalla currently has seven locations in Northern and Southern California and is planning “significant franchise expansion” through new and existing franchisee relationships, according to Fat Brands. 

Fat Brands owns more than 300 restaurants with total annual sales of $300 million, and with 300 more restaurants in development internationally.

Yalla officials did not immediately respond to requests for more information at press time.

Contact Joanna Fantozzi at [email protected]

About the Author

Joanna Fantozzi

Senior Editor

Joanna Fantozzi is a Senior Editor for Nation’s Restaurant News and Restaurant Hospitality. She has more than seven years of experience writing about the restaurant and hospitality industry. Her editorial coverage ranges from profiles of independent restaurants around the country to breaking news and insights into some of the biggest brands in food and beverage, including Starbucks, Domino’s, and Papa John’s.  

Joanna holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature and creative writing from The College of New Jersey and a master’s degree in arts and culture journalism from the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY. Prior to joining Informa’s Restaurants and Food Group in 2018, she was a freelance food, culture, and lifestyle writer, and has previously held editorial positions at Insider (formerly known as Business Insider) and The Daily Meal. Joanna’s work can also be found in The New York Times, Forbes, Vice, The New York Daily News, and Parents Magazine. 

Her areas of expertise include restaurant industry news, restaurant operator solutions and innovations, and political/cultural issues.

Joanna Fantozzi has been a moderator and event facilitator at both Informa’s MUFSO and Restaurants Rise industry events. 

Joanna Fantozzi’s experience:

Senior Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (August 2021-present)

Associate Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (July 2019-August 2021)

Assistant Editor, Informa Restaurant & Food Group (Oct. 2018-July 2019)

Freelance Food & Lifestyle Reporter (Feb. 2018-Oct. 2018)

Food & Lifestyle Reporter, Insider (June 2017-Feb. 2018)

News Editor, The Daily Meal (Jan. 2014- June 2017)

Staff Reporter, Straus News (Jan. 2013-Dec. 2013)

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