The Subway, a leading US restaurant chain, will have 40 new outlets across Kuwait in the next five years, of which six will be opened by the end of the year, said Abdul Rahman Almutairi, its franchisee owner.

Almutairi, who owns and operates all the 41 Subway restaurants in the country, recently won the Subway 'Franchisee of the Year' award for multi-unit owners from the chain’s international developed markets. The award was given at the company’s recent convention in Chicago.

The Kuwaiti businessman was selected from among the chain’s more than 4,000 international franchisees, said a company statement.

The award was in recognition of Almutairi’s accomplishment in building sales and increasing profitability while achieving excellent store evaluations, the statement said.
 
Almutairi said: “This is a big accomplishment for me. It recognizes the hard work and improvements I have made over the years in dealing with customers, employees and colleagues in a more effective and professional way.”
 
Born and raised in Kuwait, Almutairi first discovered the Subway brand as an architectural engineering student attending the University of Texas.

He soon turned a regular and upon returning home after his education abroad, he considered diversifying his business interests and was eventually responsible for bringing the Subway concept to Kuwait in 2001, the company said in a statement.

Almutairi said: “As a customer, I liked the food and believed in theSubway brand. I also recognized the advantage of the low investment requirements and the fact that the food business was potentially very profitable in Kuwait. From the start, I was confident about the concept of setting up a Subway franchise in the city.”

Today, Almutairi owns and operates all 41 Subway restaurants in Kuwait. In total, his restaurants provide employment for about 600 people and contribute significantly to community-related and charitable activities.
 
“We support the Kuwaiti football, basketball and volleyball teams as well as initiatives with organizations such as the Heart Association of Kuwait and the Kuwait Cooperative Society,” he added.

Patricia Demarais, director of International for the Subway, said: 'Franchisees like Abdul Almutairi are the heart and soul of the Subway family. We know that our success depends upon their excellence in operating their restaurants and motivating their team to provide the best tasting sandwiches to our customers.'

'We take great pride in the hard work and effort made by the thousands of franchisees throughout the world and in the millions of customers that they serve,' she added.-TradeArabia News Service