Salateira to the flamenco sound: the chain opened the first restaurant in Spain

Blitz-interview with the director on franchising Salateira Maxim Pruchay about partners for the new project, prospects of restaurants opening in other countries.

The chain of healthy food restaurants Salateira has already become crowded in Ukraine. A year ago the first foreign brand object appeared –  in the United Arab Emirates –  a restaurant started work in the Business Central Tower, in the emirate capital Dubai. At December 2016 end, the first restaurant started operating in Belarus in Minsk in the SEC Galleria Minsk. Later another Belarusian restaurant appeared in the SEC Dana Mall. It is noteworthy that if the company founders opened trade point on shares with local businessmen in the UAE, then the first franchise objects started operating in Minsk. August 19, the chain appeared in another country – in Spain, in the Alicante city, the province capital of the same name. There are became known about the restaurants opening at the spring end, but the official message came only a few months. Director on Salateira franchising Maxim Pruchay said to RAU about who acted as a Ukrainian businessmen partner in this project, why they stopped exactly on this location and what difficulty had to overcome when opening the restaurant.

– Who is your partner in Spain?

– Our partners are Ukrainians, who moved to Spain for half a year to open the Salateira restaurant. Yuri Balaban and Nikolai Revuk often visited this country, and nothing like the Salateira format was seen. That’s the idea ​​open a restaurant in Spain. This is the first experience of the guys in the restaurant business.

– Was it a request from a partner or did you first apply to him?

– The request came from the partners.

– What is the cost of the franchise in Spain?

– The cost of the Salateira franchise is standard for all countries – $ 30,000 for the first restaurant and $ 20,000 for the subsequent ones. This is provided that the franchisee is the same.

salateira в ОАЭ

– What are the financial conditions for further business? How do they differ from the Ukrainian ones?

– The differences for the foreign and Ukrainian markets are as follows in the financial plan:

• Ukraine: royalties – 3% of turnover, marketing payment – 1% of turnover.
• Foreign market: royalty – 4% of turnover, marketing payment – 0%.

Abroad, we do not provide PR and marketing at the national level, but we only recommend and coordinate all marketing materials and activities.

– Did this partner bought the right to represent one restaurant or he has the right to open it all over Spain?

– Partners bought a franchise for one restaurant, but they can also open follow-on if the terms of the contract are met.

– How long did it take to open?

– The opening of the restaurant in Alicante was five months after the lease signing. As practice showed, the opening of a restaurant in a new market requires at least three months.

salateira в ОАЭ

– As I understand it, there is street retail?

– Yes, the restaurant is located on Plaça de la Muntanyeta near the central church, the mayor’s office, the tax office. The restaurant looks very beautiful, with large panoramic windows, a terrace. The restaurant square is 460 sq., seats – 98. As usual, there is a water station in the restaurant with free water, lemon and mint – this usual option in Ukraine has become a novelty for the Spaniards.

– Why did it not open in the SEC?

– Room search is one of the restaurant opening longest stages. In Alicante there are few SEC, and all the existing locations on food courts are already occupied. Therefore, we were looking for a place to open a restaurant in the street-retail format.

– What is the degree of involvement of a partner? Did he himself looking for a location, where to buy equipment, light?

– The involvement of the partner was the maximum, without it is simply impossible to supervise the work of the restaurant in Spain from Ukraine. The partner was selected the location for all parameters recommended by Salateira, and then he agreed with us. Together we conducted a preliminary miscalculation and the traffic analysis, an individual financial model was drawn up.

– Were there any difficulties with the opening? Earlier, you mentioned that, for example, in Belarus there are problems with the supply of raw materials.

– A new market is always a new issues and tasks series. Spain was no exception – starting from the coordination of products, ending with the delivery of a piece of equipment and furniture from Ukraine.

– Let’s describe the situation in the restaurant market in Spain.

– Restaurants in Alicante are usually small, with tables on the street. If we talk about larger institutions, it is mainly international chain such as McDonalds, Burger King, KFC. The Spanish are quite wary to the new brands. They first look at the institution for a few days and only then they come to order. Another feature is that the Spaniards go to restaurants and cafes at well-defined hours: for lunch and in the evening after 19:00.

Salateira в Киеве

– What is the approximate period of investment return?

– Investment planned return of any of our restaurants is up to three years.

– What did you change for the Spanish restaurant – menu, format, design, what else?

– We tried to introduce a menu identical to Ukrainian. The only change is in connection with the hot Spain climate – we added to the range cold soup Tomatina. We also launch restaurants in new countries without introducing of the seasonal menu for the formation period (the first six months).

– What are your expectations?

– Although now our brand in Spain is not known to anyone and the first priority is to gain the trust of the city and tourists, we always provide guests with quality, delicious food, and restaurants – good marketing support. Therefore, the expectations are the most optimistic.

– You wrote in the comments that several more Ukrainian franchises were opened in Spain. Do not know what these brands are?

– As far as I remember, there was also opened the “Caramel Workshop”, but this information is better to check with the owners themselves.