Hot on the heels of last Monday’s launch of the Pollo Tropical (Guyana) restaurant on Monday inside the multi-storey complex immediately east of the Republic Bank branch at Robb and Camp streets, CAMEX Ltd, the country’s leading accumulator of culinary franchises will today open another branch of the Miami-based entity inside the Giftland Mall.
Chief Executive Officer Terrence Campbell told Stabroek Business in an exclusive interview earlier this week that the deal with the Miami-based company will see CAMEX investing in the creation of up to five Pollo Restaurants here, with setting up costs reaching around US$5 million.
Pollo Tropical – Chicken on the Grill was originally established in 1988, specializing in citrus-marinated chicken, but its advertising blurb says this has evolved into a world of tropical flavours, and is “quickly transforming into a lifestyle of happy, healthy, laid-back fun.”
With the opening of the doors of Pollo Tropical on Monday, Guyana became then second Caricom country, after Trinidad and Tobago to secure a franchise to run a facility.
If the brand seems less than familiar to stay-at-home Guyanese, it has established a prominent presence elsewhere in the world. You can eat at more than 200 Pollo Tropical restaurants in Florida, Dallas and Georgia. Outside of the US there are more than 40 franchises to be found in Puerto Rico, Pamana, Guatemala, Honduras, Trinidad and Tobago, Venezuela and now, Guyana.
CAMEX IS the most prolific collector of franchises that focus on leisure foods in Guyana having first opened Church’s Chicken in 2006. Mario’s Pizza and Quiznos then followed and Campbell said investment in the sector had been on his mind since 1991.
With Pollo Tropical CAMEX is seeking to exploit what the company sees as a fast-emerging demand in Guyana for what is universally referred to as ‘healthy eating,’ a phenomenon manifesting itself in grilled – rather than fried – meats, fruit, vegetables, salads and a range of fruit drinks and smoothies. Campbell believes he sees a consumer demand drifting in that direction. Chicken on the Grill, he expects, will be a big seller.
On Sunday Pollo Tropical became the first business to begin trading from the close to complete Camp and Robb streets structure. Stabroek Business understands that the various other CAMEX franchises will also be offering their services from the same complex.
Campbell declines to dwell the job of negotiating the franchises, though he said that it is a demanding pursuit. “We concluded this deal in less than six months. It is a record for a franchise in a new market. The process includes looking at the prospective franchise holder to determine if there is significant experience in high-volume restaurant business, excellent credit record, personal business references and financial stability. The financial aspect is very important. You need US$1 million to set up a restaurant and Pollo Tropical requires at least five restaurants in any new market.” The search for other suitable locations is still on.
According to Campbell one of the reasons for selecting Pollo Tropical as his latest franchise was the fact that its menu allowed for the integration of various locally produced inputs into the cuisine; reducing high import costs and supporting the local agricultural sector was a key motivation. The Pollo Tropical menu will include soups made with local vegetables.
Stabroek Business understands that CAMEX has already been engaging various local enterprises that will be responsible for providing the restaurant with supplies.
The Pollo Tropical (Guyana) management team is in place having undergone a six-week training programme in the United States. The cashiers were also exposed to intensive online training in Pollo Tropical managements. Meanwhile a Chef Leader and a Franchise Business Consultant are currently in Guyana to assist with further training and sensitization.
