Series: Going Global - “Failing to Plan is Planning to Fail”

The decision to take your brand internationally, through various partnership structures, has many prerequisites in order for the expansion to be successful. This is not a decision that can be steered by ego or a misguided sense of self importance. Before you blindly throw a dart at a map, you need to assess your internal infrastructure to determine if you are ready to move forward. Insights from Andreas Karlsson, who grew Wagamama's international restaurant count from 3 to 35 restaurants. In 2012, he opened the first international restaurant of Denmark's ‘Sticks'n'Sushi' group in London.
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Fundamentals: Double-dipping into the Future

Debt, recession, inflation, stagnation: the troubled world economy poses many challenges for foodservice businesses, especially those with cross-border ambitions. Stéphane Garelli, professor at Switzerland's IMD and University of Lausanne and for many years managing director of the World Economic Forum and the Davos Symposium, sought to make sense of an increasingly perplexing picture when he spoke at last September's European Foodservice Summit in Zurich.
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Quickservice: Just Falling for Falafel

The UAE-based fast-food chain Just Falafel has become one of the fastest growing hospitality enterprises in the Middle East. Launched in 2007 with a single outlet in Abu Dhabi, the company today has 29 operating stores in six countries and over 650 signed franchises set to be in operation within the next five years. Bettina Quabius looks at the rapid growth of the concept and explores the transformation of the ubiquitous falafel from street food to the star of a multinational brand.
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City Guide: Czarist Culture Meets Modern Cuisine

Once the country's capital, St. Petersburg is still considered the cultural heart of Russia. With 5 m inhabitants, it is also Russia's second largest city. Every year, its splendid palaces, magnificentcathedrals, elegant bridges and rich museum collections attractthousands of tourists, especially during the White Nights seasonthat lasts from May to July. The gastronomic landscape is just asrich as the historical one.
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Interview: Eastward Expedition

After several years in senior management at Britain‘s largest pub-restaurant business, Kevin Todd is now CEO at Rosinter, a pioneering operator of casual dining restaurants, coffee bars and transport hub outlets across Russia and Eastern Europe. He describes the practical and professional challenges of the switch and the strategies needed to keep brands ahead in one of the world‘s fastest-changing markets. Interview by Bruce Whitehall.
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