Giraffas facts for kids
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Trade name
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Giraffas |
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| Private | |
| Industry | Restaurants |
| Founded | April 1981 |
| Founder | Mauro Lacerda, Muniz Neto |
| Headquarters |
Lago Sul, DF
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Number of locations
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400+ stores in Brazil, 10 stores in the United States and 1 store in Paraguay |
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Area served
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Brazil, United States, Paraguay |
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Key people
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Carlos Guerra |
| Products | Fast food, including: Brazilian food · sandwiches |
Giraffas is a popular fast-food restaurant chain from Brazil. It was started in April 1981 by two friends, Mauro Lacerda and Muniz Neto. The very first Giraffas restaurant opened in Lago Sul, a city in Brazil's Federal District. In 1991, Giraffas began allowing other people to open their own Giraffas restaurants, which is called franchising. Since then, it has grown a lot across Brazil. Giraffas has also opened restaurants in other countries like Paraguay and the United States.
Contents
The Story of Giraffas
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Giraffas faced some tough times in the mid-1990s. The company had financial problems and almost closed down. In 1996, because of these money troubles, the chain was sold to three friends of the original owners: Felipe Barreto, Luciana Morais, and Luciana Vasconcelos.
New Beginnings and Growth
The new owners didn't have much experience running a restaurant business. However, they decided to focus on the franchise system to help the company grow. By 1998, they had sold off the ten restaurants that the company still owned directly. This allowed more people to open Giraffas restaurants as franchises.
In 2002, Giraffas grew faster than any other fast-food chain in Brazil. The next year, in 2003, the company grew by 21%. They opened their first restaurants in the states of Espírito Santo and Paraná.
Expanding the Menu
From 2004 to 2005, Giraffas focused on offering more types of food. They even started selling ice cream with special Giraffas ice cream stands. In 2005, a new restaurant opened in the city of Barreiras, in the state of Bahia.
Celebrating Milestones
In 2006, Giraffas celebrated its 25th birthday! To mark this special occasion, they held a music festival in Brasília called Giraffestival, featuring local rock bands. At the same time, the company reached a big milestone: 200 restaurants across Brazil. They also opened their first restaurants in the states of Pará and Mato Grosso that year. Giraffas also launched a special meal deal with gifts related to the Mexican band RBD. In 2007, the first Giraffas restaurant opened in the state of Tocantins.
Going International
Giraffas opened its very first international restaurant in Miami, United States, in 2010. They also opened a new international restaurant in Ciudad del Este, Paraguay, in 2011. In Brazil, Giraffas is now a major fast-food chain, often compared to big names like McDonald's and Burger King.
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