Nordsee eyes massive Middle East expansion

Dubai: Europe's popular fish restaurant chain Nordsee opened its first outlet in the Middle East yesterday in Dubai Mall.

The German group, founded 1896 in Bremen, Germany, will open 30 restaurants throughout the Middle East in the next five years, managing director Christof Becker told Gulf News in an interview.

Initially, one more Dubai restaurant will follow in Mirdif in March 2010. After that, more are planned in Jebel Ali's Jafza free zone, in Jumeirah and two in Abu Dhabi. The next steps in the expansion include Egypt, Becker said, where Nordsee's franchise partner for the Mena region, Ocean Fresh Enterprise, is situated.

Nordsee is investing between 800,000 and 1.2 million euros to launch a single Nordsee outlet, Becker said.

"We don't see a recession any more in the retail sector," he said, as he gave reasons for Nordsee's ambitious expansion plans.

The company recorded a net sales of 353 million euros (Dh1.9 billion) in 2008 and employs around 6,000 people at 413 outlets in Europe.

"Now we are raising the flag in the Middle east," Becker said.

"Our concept is completely new for the region, as there are, in principle, no competitors."

Dubai, he says, is "something special" in plans to start with the Middle East expansion.

Nordsee is offering a broad range of seafood and fish dishes, soups and salads in a casual dining atmosphere. The fish and ingredients are flown in from Germany "to maintain our unique quality and, of course, to utilise synergy effect of our centralised purchasing."

The fish originates mostly from north Atlantic fishing grounds. The local purchase of fish would be too complicated as the whole supply chain requires complex time-critical cooling logistics and is subject to high health-safety standards.

Nordsee is eyeing European expatriates who are well aware of the brand,. However, the company also wants to get new local customers hooked on its fish. A part of the menu will be customised for local tastes. Nordsee's senior staff in the UAE is trained in Germany.

According to Khalid Mustafa, the operations director (Middle East) of Nordsee's franchiser Cairo-based Ocean Fresh Enterprise, the restaurants in the UAE will also offer a home delivery service.

Nordsee is owned by a holding company in turn owned by German businessman Heiner Kamps.