Bobby Ghosh, Columnist

Saudi Chicken Chain Needs More Than Special Sauce to Go Global

Purveyor of popular nuggets could learn from Jollibee, the Philippine fast-food brand that used acquisitions to build its business around the world.

November 18, 2021 at 10:30 PM UTC

By Bobby Ghosh

Bobby Ghosh is a senior editor in the digital weekend team. Previously, he was a columnist at Bloomberg Opinion, where he wrote mostly about international affairs and culture.

Cultivating new customers.
Photographer: Veejay Villafranca/Bloomberg/Getty Images

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A Saudi chicken-nugget chain is having a breakout moment at the world’s fair in Dubai, prompting speculation that it might one day challenge behemoths like KFC and McDonald’s. And why not? The world could always use more fried fowl, and in more flavors.

But Al Baik and the Abu Ghazalah family that owns it should heed the example of the last non-American fast-food chain to bid for international status.