When Emerati entrepreneur Nada Alshamsi opened Huff & Puff Burgers in 2016, critics were skeptical of whether this new concept for a fast food restaurant offering “unique and delicious experiences” would be a successful endeavor. Doubters were quickly silenced, as Huff & Puff launched to seemingly overnight success, they quickly became a destination for burger lovers to travel across the Middle East for. Starting with one location four years ago, they have since expanded to 17 additional locations including seven locations in the UAE, five in KSA, one in Salalah-Oman & one in Kuwait, with plans to open even more this year.
This road to success is not without its challenges and obstacles, much of which Nada and Huff & Puff have had to overcome over the years. Their conceptual fast food was originally met with some pushback from local consumers. Competitor restaurants have also attempted to steal the recipe for Huff & Puffs burger, which is now kept under tight surveillance. More recently, all 17 locations had to close their doors for over 3 months, due to health and safety reasons regarding the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
“Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t accomplish something, work hard to achieve your dreams and goals” says Nada. Even in the face of adversity, and despite having another one of her businesses close entirely within a year, Nada & Huff & Puff have persisted in growing their business and are forging their path to becoming a staple in the fast food industry.
By launching initiatives to feed the hungry and by donating to local charities, Huff & Huff and Nada are finding ways to give back for their success, while simultaneously creating relationships and helping develop local businesses and communities. With the Huff & Puff trademark registered internationally in 165 countries, we can expect to see more Huff & Puffs cropping up around the world in the near future.
