Tourism & Hospitality | Thursday 8 January, 2015 3:18 pm |

Reza Food Services Co. ltd., McDonald’s exclusive franchisee for the Western and Southern regions of the Kingdom, marked its 20th anniversary of success and expansion in Saudi Arabia with the opening of its 75th branch in Sabia. Since the opening of the first branch in the Hamra District, two decades of existence and experience have expanded Reza Food Services to a network of 75 branches that is investing in its people and its human capital.

In 1994, Reza Food Services opened its first McDonald’s branch in Al Hamra District, and from then on, the company has achieved a number of important milestones to expand to a current total of 75 stores, serving customers from the West to the Southern regions. Three years after opening their doors, the company had a total of ten branches across the regions, wherein they continued to grow to 25 branches eight years later. This growth accelerated over the coming years and the number of stores doubled by August 2011, with a total of 50 across the regions.

Mohammed Alireza, Assistant General Manager of REZA Food Services Co. Ltd., said: “We are honored and proud to have made such an incredible mark on our community throughout the past 20 years and we look forward to the coming years of continuous expansion and success.”

“The last 20 years are brimming with great achievements in various realms, from supporting charitable efforts, to encouraging balanced lifestyles and carrying out community programs and campaigns that have contributed to building lasting bonds. We have accomplished a lot in such a short period and are excited to conclude our second decade in the Kingdom with the opening of our 75th branch,” Alireza added.

As an active partner in the community for the last twenty years, McDonald’s has worked towards being a responsible corporate citizen through heavy involvement in charitable efforts and campaigns. Among the most important of these initiatives is the blood donation campaign, which is run every year to provide support to the community in need. Another annual event that McDonald’s organizes is the Jeddah Basketball Championship, which under the supervision of FIBA gathers the youth together in line with its vision of spreading the culture of sports and a balanced lifestyle.

As part of its charitable efforts, McDonald’s also gives back during the Holy month of Ramadan. Amid these initiatives is the “Ramadan Books” campaign, which contributed towards children’s education through the sale of four books covering topics such as good manners and the importance of helping family and others. In addition, the company provided a form of creative entertainment through the “Hakawati” campaign, as well as the “Gathering of Hope” initiative, where it hosted Iftar gatherings for children of local orphanages, engaging them in fun activities and placing a smile across their faces.

As part of its vested interest in the community, Reza Food Services has made a solid effort to achieve high rates of Saudization and invest in the Saudi youth by offering them employment opportunities and an attractive work environment. Year after year, applicants have doubled in number and the rate of Saudization has reached up to 40% in some areas of the Western and Southern regions, with over 2,000 Saudis being trained in total. The company has also witnessed a drop in the turn-around rate amongst Saudis reaching 42% in 2014, and this rate continues to decrease.

McDonald’s Global was established in 1955, and recorded the sale of 100 Million hamburgers globally in 1958. 3 Years after achieving this number, the Hamburger University was launched in 1961, and the chain of McDonald’s restaurants expanded globally in 1967. In 2005, McDonald’s celebrated its golden Jubilee, marking a global presence of 50 years since its launch.