El Jannah secures General Atlantic investment, plans expansion to almost 200 restaurants

El Jannah is gearing up for one of the most ambitious rollouts in Australian quick-service dining, announcing plans to grow from 50 to almost 200 restaurants with the backing of global investor General Atlantic.

The charcoal chicken brand, founded in 1998 by Lebanese migrants Andre and Carole Estephan in Western Sydney, has become a cult favourite built on fresh food, family hospitality and its unmistakable garlic sauce. Since 2020, it has expanded from five venues to 50, serving 160,000 transactions a week across Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Wollongong and the Southern Highlands.

Andre Estephan said the next phase aims to take the family’s original vision national.

“From the day Carole and I opened our first restaurant in Granville, our dream was simple - to share the flavours and hospitality we grew up with in Lebanon,” he said. “We built El Jannah with our family for Australian families. We now want to carry that dream into its next generation, while keeping our culture, values and identity exactly where they belong - at the heart of the business.”

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More than 25 new restaurants will open in the next 12 months across NSW, Victoria and the ACT, including sites in the Sydney CBD, Warringah Mall, Maroubra, Sunbury, South Yarra, Box Hill and Woden.

The expansion will be fuelled by investment from General Atlantic, which has backed global food and lifestyle brands including Joe & The Juice and Zimmermann. CEO Brett Houldin will continue to lead the business alongside the Estephan family.

Houldin said the partnership opens the door to both accelerated national growth and international expansion.

“Our partnership with GA means we can explore selective international expansion for the first time, including the possibility of exporting our unique Australian-Middle Eastern flavour profile back to the Middle East, and into other high-potential markets,” he said. “We are committed to preserving the soul of the brand while accelerating our next phase of growth.”

General Atlantic’s Neal Kok said El Jannah’s mix of authenticity and community appeal made it stand out.

“El Jannah is one of the most distinctive and exciting restaurant offerings we have seen in Australia. Its combination of authentic food and amazing community following are core to what has made it an incredible success,” he said.