Dubai: Can a small business launch operations when it's not perceived to be one? One could say that would be the case when the promoter of the start-up is one of the daughters of the founder of a multi-billion dirham business empire.
That's the situation facing Shafeena Yousuf Ali, owner of the Abu Dhabi-based Tablez Food Co., which has been in business for just over 18 months and has launched three food and beverage (F&B) concepts. But just as pertinently, she is one of the three daughters of Yousuf Ali M.A., founder of the Emke Group and operator of the Lulu supermarkets and hypermarkets.
"I am aware of the perceptions that others may have about my business and how much of a connection there is with my father's," Shafeena said. "That's why it was absolutely vital for me to ensure that Tablez has its degrees of separation from the Emke Group and very well-defined ones at that.
"At the end of the day, I am solely responsible for the success or otherwise of my business. But there's no denying the inspiration I draw from my father and which will inevitably find an expression in the way I run Tablez.
Safety net
"And, yes, there's a safety net that comes with being my father's daughter. Why should I deny myself that privilege?"
By the looks of it, Shafeena will not need that safety net. Having launched operations with a cupcake retailing concept — Bloomsbury's — in Abu Dhabi, the portfolio has since been expanded with Pepper Mill and De Thale, both specialising in Indian cuisine.
According to Shafeena, the business — which entailed initial investments of Dh2.5 million — has started to touch breakeven on a month-on-month basis. That counts for a lot in an industry where steady revenue streams can be notoriously fickle, especially for new ventures.
"When we did the feasibility, we found many F&B ventures failed because even if the concept was good, the promoters failed to manage the finances optimally. They were running through their funding in limited time.
"Moreover, in a market such as Dubai, the competition in the F&B category is intense and the rentals can often prove a heavy load.
"For the Tablez ventures, it was made clear from the start that the concept would be married to the financing and not the other way round. To do otherwise would be hugely detrimental."
Shafeena's business is cushioned to an extent by locating the outlets in properties managed by the Emke Group. "That's a huge support platform, no doubt, and it would have been shortsighted of me not to take it up," she said.
Now that she has three ventures up and running, Shafeena, who is a finance major with a taste for hospitality-specific forays, is already pondering other ideas. Tanjara, serving Arabic and Iranian delicacies, already has a presence in Abu Dhabi. Going forward, the plans are for a seafood restaurant and even a gourmet chocolate eatery.
"It's a misnomer that the UAE is overcrowded with fine and casual dining outlets," Shafeena said. "At the top, there are the fancy places at five-star hotels with Michelin-starred chefs and the lower rungs are teeming with outlets offering cheap menus but with horrible decor.
Moderate margins
"Now, the gap exists in the mid-tier and if we can ensure a reasonably priced menu with moderate margins built into it, we have a sustainable business.
"The easiest thing to do would have been to sit back and get the three existing ventures to find their feet. That's not the way I like to go about doing things.
"I want the other concepts to hit the market in the shortest possible timeframe. By nature, I am impatient."
That sounds like Shafeena intends to keep things cooking awhile. But one thing is for sure — she is not about to let sentiment get in the way of pulling the plug on any venture that fails to click.
"A three-year timeframe is ideal to find out whether a concept has legs," Shafeena said. "If a concept fails, I will not waste time to take hard decisions."
Full-time job
As to whether Tablez is the platform for a direct role in Emke Group's future, she demurred. "That's a full-time job in itself; somehow I don't see a role for myself there.
"Tablez is what I'm focused on for today and tomorrow and the intention is to make it the leading food company in the marketplace. Also, one day will show that the business and its concepts can grow outside of Emke Group owned locations."
That's when the degrees of separation will well and truly kick in.
