February 20, 2025 // Franchising.com // With expansion well underway in the United States and a master license deal complete for India at the end of 2024, it was only a matter of time until the Middle East started showing an interest in Doner Shack. This month, the Berlin-inspired fast-casual restaurant - loved for its mouthwatering kebabs, buttermilk chicken tenders and loaded fries - debuted at the Qatar International Food Festival (QIFF).

Doner Shack is proud to share that they were just one of only a select few British brands to be handpicked by the QIFF to participate in this prestigious event. Famed as Qatar's largest culinary gathering, the brand's team is excited to set the stage for a bright future in the Middle Eastern market.

"The festival is a strategic stepping stone allowing Doner Shack a platform to connect with a high value audience, showcase our innovation, and introduce our fast-casual concept to a region that values quality and creativity," explained Co-founder of Doner Shack, Sanj Sanghera.

Set against the picturesque backdrop of Hotel Park in Doha, the festival is unlike any other event in the UK, Europe and the US, opening from the afternoon and running late into the evenings from 12-22 February. Not only is the QIFF for brands like Doner Shack to showcase their menus to potential investors and entrepreneurs but it's also a memorable event for food enthusiasts to get a taste of what's to come in their local neighbourhoods.

"For us, the QIFF is a chance to share our passion and lay the groundwork for exciting future ventures. Beyond the exposure, the QIFF is a hub for meaningful connections. It brings together industry leaders, chefs and potential franchisees, creating opportunities for collaboration and growth," added Sanj.

Doner Shack enjoyed two high-profile opportunities to showcase the franchise to investors in Qatar over the last couple weeks in addition to the QIFF. The Qatar Franchise Show on 11 February brought together those with a vision of shaping the future of business in the Middle East. Just a few days later, the British Embassy held its own event introducing those hand-picked UK brands invited to the festival to investors.

Then, with 20,000 visitors on just the first day of the QIFF, the team were able to question people in the queues waiting to taste the brand's products, "We've heard from countless visitors that Doner Shack is the talk of the town - they've been waiting for a brand like ours to introduce high-quality doner to the market. The combination of feedback from investors and the general public has confirmed to us that there is a huge gap in the market for a brand like Doner Shack to fill," concluded co-founder Laura Bruce.

For further information about Doner Shack, visit www.donershack.uk/franchise.