Galito’s, the South African-born flame-grilled chicken brand, is entering the United Arab Emirates after signing an exclusive master franchise agreement with Flame Roost Restaurant, a food and beverage subsidiary of MarketMath Investments. The first UAE location is targeted to open in 2026, with a wider rollout to follow.
From a single store in Nelspruit in 1996, Galito’s has grown into an international system of more than 260 restaurants across 17 countries. Management is positioning the UAE as a cornerstone of that portfolio rather than just another flag on the map — a reading that fits a market known for high visibility and demanding diners. Founder and chief executive Louis Germishuys called the entry a deliberate strategic move.
“Entering the UAE is a definitive step in our global expansion strategy.”
Galito’s is not opening in the Emirates on its own. Flame Roost holds the country rights and brings local operating knowledge, while MarketMath supplies the investment and operational framework behind the build-out. That division of labour is the whole point of a master franchise: the brand owner exports a proven system and standards, and a well-capitalised local partner carries the real estate, hiring and day-to-day execution. In a competitive, high-rent market like the UAE, that local muscle is usually what separates a durable rollout from a stalled one.
Vanshika Bhatia, managing director of Flame Roost, framed the launch in brand rather than unit terms, saying the partners are “not just launching a restaurant” but introducing an icon to a market she described as craving exactly this kind of concept.
Galito’s lands in a region where international brands keep choosing master franchise and area-development deals to enter at pace. The pattern runs across the wider Middle East, from Subway’s Qatar master franchise award to cross-border rights sales like Realty ONE Group’s Mongolia entry. For investors mapping where flame-grilled and better-burger concepts fit against local taste and rents, the calculus resembles what we lay out for other emerging markets in the Philippines investor playbook. Brand and market detail on Galito’s sits on the company’s international site.
The first Emirates opening in 2026 will be the real test of whether Galito’s peri-peri identity lands with UAE diners — and whether Flame Roost can turn one launch into the scaled presence both sides are signalling.
Source: Khaleej Times — Global flame-grilled sensation Galito’s ignites UAE expansion
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