It is back to nature and organic bites at Pure Health Café. The cafe was launched on Thursday near The Forum, where once Nandos was situated. The décor has been done up in a multitude of greens, and sets out to deliver not only tasty, but also healthy food options.
A Canadian chain that was first introduced in Vancouver about ten years ago has made inroads in Asia for the first time, with Karachi being its first stop, informed Jose Luis Esquivel, VP, Franchise Development of Fresh and Healthy Brands, whose subsidiary brand includes this café.
While bringing it here to Pakistan, Mohammad Aslam Shaikh, CEO, Taj Corporation, told The Express Tribune that he has been involved in the food business since 2006. On how the thought of introducing low calories food came into his mind, he claims, “I was in Abu Dhabi two years back, when I first dined at their outlet and enjoyed it. On the same note I thought to myself, people are busy bringing burger franchises here, which basically consist of junk food. With so many unhealthy, high calorie burger joints in town, it became mandatory on my part to introduce this. Also, people here have started to adopt a healthy lifestyle.”
Pure Health Café is operational currently in 24 countries of the world, Shaikh said. But does he see Neco’s as a competitor? Shaikh says, “Neco’s only offers sandwiches that cater to low calorie diets! We have everything , from a whole range of salads made from fresh vegetables to sugar-free juices to frozen yogurt smoothies, and we also offer chicken on the menu.”
Target customers for him vary, he says, “We are not only targeting women who are conscious about their diet plans, but I have a feeling the youth of today is also much more interested in maintaining their physiques.”
Shaikh said he was introducing a live kitchen, where people could see what is being made and, likewise, what is being served to them. If this concept takes off and attracts a steady clientele, Shaikh will look into expanding the business. He plans on opening more Pure Health Cafés in Karachi by the end of this year, with one in Sindh Muslim society and the other in North Nazimabad.
Also, he plans to hop to Lahore this year, and will be venturing into Islamabad next year.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 12th, 2014.
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