Anat Apter, founder of falafel and shawarma franchise, Anat.
Starting out, Apter bought a food trailer for R600 that she paid off over six months. At first she only sold falafel because it’s what she knew how to make best, and she wouldn’t settle for anything less than the best quality. The strategy worked.
The food was delicious, and she slowly introduced shawarmas for meat-loving South Africans once they’d been perfected. The shawarma was such a money spinner that two years later, Apter opened her own shop at the market,
As the market started to wane, she moved to Sandton City to win over a new customer-base. That feat took two years, but the gamble paid off: She franchised the business two years later, using franchisees’ capital to help her grow the brand to 26 stores around the country today.
All because of a focus on starting small, serving the absolute best and keeping things at their most affordable and value for money.
Note:
In your answers, you will be awarded more marks for integrating the theory and facts from the case study than if you discuss them separately. Use your own words for discussion purposes.