If Nando’s has one apt descriptor, it’s this: it’s changed the way people think about chicken. And this comes from none other than its co-founder Robert (Robbie) Brozin who wrote a note on LinkedIn nine years back. As son of a businessman, Brozin could take the comfort route of staying on in his father’s business but chose an entrepreneurial path instead. The rest is history, as they say.
Nando’s welcomed its co-founder and brand champion, Robbie Brozin, for an exclusive media meet-up at the Salwa Road Casa (Home in Portuguese) — the first Nando’s to open in May 2001, now celebrating over 23 years of serving their world-famous PERi-PERi chicken in Qatar and we caught up with Brozin for a casual chat.
Here’s what he had to say!
Q: Why did you choose entrepreneurship over your dad’s business?
Brozin: Entrepreneurship came quite naturally to me…and the Industry my father was in, was taking some strain, with consolidation happening and I felt uncomfortable in it.
Q: With over 1,000 Nando’s restaurants worldwide, what are three lessons that apply across sectors?
Brozin:
1. Find the right local partner who understands the Region you are operating in;
2. Keep the fundamentals of the menu the same, but localize the side items and add some local dishes;
3. Keep the values and the purpose high on the agenda , never mind the country or region you are operating in.
Q: If given a chance, what would you do differently?
Brozin: Have a deeper respect for the “Suits” the finance people. In the early days we never listened to them enough.
Q: One piece of advice for Gen Z.
Brozin: It takes time to make a champion.
Q: If you could time travel, where would you go and why?
Brozin: To the year 2030…we’ve got an exiting five-year plan, and I’d like to see how it holds out, while I’m still young enough to appreciate and change a few things.
