“They’ve been unbelievable partners,” Naf Naf co-founder David Sloan said of Roark. “Those guys have been amazing to work with. They’ve provided so much support and knowledge.”
Naf Naf has been growing steadily since Roark’s investment. The 19-unit chain is on track to open 12 locations this year. With restaurants in Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, Naf Naf is working to open locations in Detroit and Philadelphia.
“When we went to Philadelphia, we fell in love with that city,” Sloan said. “There is tremendous potential for Naf Naf, especially with limited competition.”
Naf Naf has high hopes for the East Coast.
“What gets us excited is there’s so much population density there that we don’t have in the Midwest,” Sloan said.
Naf Naf is targeting these markets with an offering uncommon for restaurant chains: Middle Eastern cuisine in an Americanized, fast-casual setting. Naf Naf makes its own pitas and slow roasts shawarma behind the counter on vertical spits.
As Naf Naf expands, it is working on a branding initiative to understand how consumers perceive the chain. The company recently hired Stacey Snyder Murray, former director of global brands at Hyatt Hotels, as vice president of branding.
“With great branding, we have the opportunity to define the food,” Sander said. “We’re doing it the right way. But one of the biggest challenges we have is to define it, and to educate customers on what they’re eating.”
