Food Concepts
Food Concepts Plc is a Lagos-headquartered Nigerian QSR operator that owns, franchises, and supplies ingredients for 205+ Chicken Republic, PieXpress, and The Chop Box restaurants across Nigeria and Ghana, serving approximately 15 million mass-market consumers annually.
- Company typePublic
- Founded1999
- HeadquartersIlupeju, Nigeria
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Food Concepts does
Food Concepts Plc is a Lagos-headquartered, publicly-listed Nigerian quick-service restaurant (QSR) operator incorporated in December 1999 (operating since 2000) that owns, operates, and franchises three consumer brands — Chicken Republic (its flagship, a soulfully-spiced chicken QSR established in 2004 and recognized as Nigeria's #1 QSR), PieXpress (pies and baked goods), and The Chop Box (traditional Nigerian cuisine) — across more than 205 stores in 25+ Nigerian states and Ghana, serving approximately 15 million customers annually. The company's operating backbone is a Central Kitchen and Pie Production facility in Lagos that holds proprietary West African spice recipes as trade secrets, paired with a 99% locally-sourced supply chain, refrigerated distribution fleet, effluent treatment and bio-digester systems, and SAP-based enterprise management. Revenue is generated through a hybrid model combining company-owned restaurant operations (sales from in-store dining, online delivery, and catering), franchise joining fees (USD $25,000 for Chicken Republic; USD $5,000 for PieXpress), ongoing royalties (5% of monthly revenue), and marketing contributions (4% Chicken Republic; 3% PieXpress), with franchise terms of five years renewable at 50%. The platform is backed by pan-African private equity — Development Partners International holds a 51.86% controlling stake through ADP II Holding 12 Ltd, with African Capital Alliance holding ~31% following its October 2021 secondary purchase — and is led by CEO Kofi Abunu (appointed March 2022, former McDonald's UK, Nando's, and Steers operator) with oversight from an institutional PE board.
Food Concepts firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Food Concepts
- Legal name
- Food Concepts Plc
- Website
- https://foodconceptsplc.com
- Company type
- Public
- Founded year
- 1999
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Food Concepts Plc is a Lagos-headquartered Nigerian QSR operator that owns, franchises, and supplies ingredients for 205+ Chicken Republic, PieXpress, and The Chop Box restaurants across Nigeria and Ghana, serving approximately 15 million mass-market consumers annually.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Food Concepts industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Quick-Service Restaurants
- NAICS
- Special Food Services (7223), Food Manufacturing (311), Retail Bakeries (311811), Caterers (722320)
- SIC
- Retail-Eating Places (5812), Bakery Products (2050), Sausages & Other Prepared Meat Products (2013), Food And Kindred Products (2000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Prepared Meat & Seafood Entrées with Sides (Complete Meals) (AFANAFAI)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Prepared Meat Meals (RTE/RTH) (AFANAFAA), Foodservice/Institutional Prepared Meat & Seafood Meals (Bulk/Portioned) (AFANAFAK), Poultry Shops (CRAHAHAD)
Keywords
Where Food Concepts is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Ilupeju
- HQ country
- Nigeria
- HQ region
- Africa
Offices4 records
Markets served
Food Concepts business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Company-Owned Restaurant Operations: Revenue from direct operation of Chicken Republic, PieXpress, and The Chop Box restaurants across Nigeria and Ghana. Includes in-store dining, takeout, and catering services.
- Franchise Fees and Royalties: Initial franchise joining fees (USD $25,000 for Chicken Republic, USD $5,000 for PieXpress), ongoing royalty fees (5% of monthly revenue), and marketing contributions (4% for Chicken Republic, 3% for PieXpress). Franchise agreements run for 5 years renewable.
- Online Delivery: Direct online delivery business growing at over 140% year on year, serving customers through digital channels
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Chicken Republic Franchise - Single Store, Area Development License, or Master Franchisee License |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | PieXpress Franchise - Single Store, Area Development License, or Master Franchisee License |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Food Concepts product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Food Concepts Plc operates and franchises multi-brand quick-service restaurants and baked goods outlets in West Africa, including Chicken Republic (signature Soulfully Spiced chicken meals), PieXpress (pies and pastries), and The Chop Box (traditional Nigerian cuisine). The company runs its own Central Kitchen and Pie Production facilities to supply all locations, sells through both company-owned and franchised stores, and offers online delivery and catering services. It also generates franchise-related revenue through joining fees, royalties, and marketing contributions.
Product overview
Food Concepts Plc operates a multi-brand quick-service restaurant platform in West Africa (primarily Nigeria) with three flagship brands: Chicken Republic (signature soulfully-spiced chicken and sides, recognized as Nigeria's #1 QSR), PieXpress (pies and baked goods with centralized production), and The Chop Box (traditional Nigerian cuisine targeting the mass market). The company also operates a centralized Supply Chain Division with Central Kitchen and Pie Production facilities, supporting all brands through integrated procurement, warehousing, and logistics.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Chicken Republic: Nigeria's leading quick-service restaurant brand offering Soulfully Spiced chicken meals with authentic West African herbs and spices. The flagship brand of Food Concepts Plc, established in 2004.
- PieXpress
- The Chop Box
Products and services
- Chicken Republic Quick-service restaurant brand offering signature Soulfully Spiced chicken meals and sides, featuring authentic West African herbs and spices; targeted at mass-market Nigerian consumers seeking affordable QSR meals. Includes brick-and-mortar outlets and online delivery.
- PieXpress Bakery and pie brand catering to on-the-go customers, offering a diverse range of pies and pastries at affordable prices. Some PieXpress stores operate on solar energy systems. PieXpress products are produced at the centralized Pie Production facility in Lagos.
- The Chop Box Traditional Nigerian food brand offering authentic dishes such as Jollof Rice and Egusi Soup, targeting the mass market base of the pyramid consumer segment seeking traditional Nigerian meals with world-class execution.
- Chicken Republic Franchise Franchise offering for entrepreneurs to open and operate Chicken Republic restaurants in West Africa. Joining Fee USD $25,000; 5% royalty on monthly revenue; 4% marketing contribution; 5-year renewable term.
- PieXpress Franchise Franchise offering for entrepreneurs to open and operate PieXpress pie and bakery outlets in West Africa. Joining Fee USD $5,000; 5% royalty on monthly revenue; 3% marketing contribution; 5-year renewable term.
- Catering Services Catering services for events and special occasions, leveraging the multi-brand QSR food production capabilities, contactable via +234 (0) 809 016 5972/3 or [email protected].
- Improved Smokey Jollof Recipe Updated Smokey Jollof menu item with richer flavour and greater consistency, available at all Chicken Republic locations across Nigeria as part of the brand's ongoing menu innovation.
Quantifiable outcome
- 140%+ year-on-year growth in online delivery business
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Food Concepts
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Food Concepts technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Food Concepts partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Ministry of Health (Emergency Response Team - Covid-19)corePartnered during COVID-19 pandemic to support emergency response efforts including donation of food and cash to support communities most severely impacted by the virus.
- Lagos State Ministry of HealthcoreCOVID-19 response partnership including support for Yaba Infectious Disease Center and Onikan Isolation Center with food donations and emergency assistance.
- Federal Ministry of Health (Abuja Isolation Center)coreCOVID-19 pandemic support including food donations to Abuja Isolation Center during the crisis.
- AIICO InsuranceminorStrategic partnership with AIICO Insurance during COVID-19 pandemic for feeding disadvantaged people and communities across multiple communities in Lagos.
- InfraCreditminorStrategic partnership with InfraCredit during COVID-19 pandemic contributing to feeding programmes for disadvantaged communities.
- GiveFood.ngcoreFood Concepts joined the Givefood.ng coalition to provide affordable value meals and support distribution of meals to Nigeria's vulnerable communities. Partnership includes Citizens Meals4Meals campaign under Chicken Republic where N100 was donated for every Citizens meal purchased online to feed children in need. Resulted in meals for over 700 Nigerian children.
- STEMi Makers AfricaminorPartnership with STEMi Makers Africa and U.S. Consulate General, Lagos to sponsor the I-Be-Lady O summit, an initiative offering African women transformative growth, opportunities, mentorship and visibility in STEM and key career pathways.
- U.S. Consulate General, LagosminorCo-sponsored the I-Be-Lady O summit promoting women in STEM careers and leadership across Africa.
- Coca-ColacoreGroundbreaking partnership with Coca-Cola and Glovo for plastic waste reduction and recycling program. Part of company's eco-friendly commitment including transition from single-use plastics to paper packaging.
- GlovocorePartnership with Coca-Cola and Glovo for plastic waste reduction and recycling program. Glovo serves as delivery partner for eco-friendly initiative.
Scale indicators13 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Food Concepts competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Steers: South African-origin burger and chicken QSR franchise with strong West Africa presence, including Ghana; competes with Chicken Republic and PieXpress in shared West African geographies.
Direct peers
- Domino's Pizza Nigeria: International pizza QSR operator in Nigeria offering delivery-led service; competes with Food Concepts' brands through franchised delivery, especially in Lagos and Abuja.
- Crunchies Fried Chicken: Nigerian-born fried chicken QSR chain competing head-to-head with Chicken Republic for mass-market consumers in Nigeria, with comparable menu positioning and price points.
- Tantalizers: Long-established Nigerian QSR brand operating multiple locations; directly competes with Food Concepts' brands in the affordable fast-food segment across Lagos and other states.
- Mr Biggs: One of Nigeria's oldest and most recognised QSR chains, owned by UAC Nigeria, offering affordable quick-service meals in a similar mass-market positioning to Chicken Republic.
- Sweet Sensation: Nigerian restaurant chain serving affordable local and continental dishes, competing with The Chop Box and Chicken Republic for everyday dining occasions.
- Mama Cass: Established Nigerian restaurant chain offering a broad menu of local and continental dishes at mass-market price points, competing directly with The Chop Box.
Broad incumbents
- Yum China Holdings: Operator of KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell in China; relevant comparable as a large-scale, multi-brand QSR operator in a high-growth emerging market with vertical supply chain.
- KFC Nigeria: Global fried-chicken QSR leader operated through local franchisees in Nigeria; competes with Chicken Republic for fried-chicken occasions while bringing multinational marketing firepower.
- Nando's: International flame-grilled peri-peri chicken chain with significant African presence including Nigeria and Ghana; competes on chicken QSR occasions against Chicken Republic.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Food Concepts social profiles
Digital presenceFood Concepts compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance6 records
Food Concepts financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Food Concepts leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles15 records
Food Concepts funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Food Concepts M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Food Concepts
What does Food Concepts do?
Food Concepts Plc operates and franchises multi-brand quick-service restaurants and baked goods outlets in West Africa, including Chicken Republic (signature Soulfully Spiced chicken meals), PieXpress (pies and pastries), and The Chop Box (traditional Nigerian cuisine). The company runs its own Central Kitchen and Pie Production facilities to supply all locations, sells through both company-owned and franchised stores, and offers online delivery and catering services. It also generates franchise-related revenue through joining fees, royalties, and marketing contributions.
Is Food Concepts a public or private company?
Food Concepts is a public company. It is classified as public and is currently operating.
When was Food Concepts founded?
Food Concepts was founded in 1999. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Food Concepts based?
Food Concepts is headquartered in Ilupeju, Nigeria, in the Africa region.
How does Food Concepts make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Company-Owned Restaurant Operations are the primary driver. The others are franchise Fees and Royalties and online Delivery.
Who are Food Concepts's main competitors?
Steers is listed as a regional player. Direct peers are Domino's Pizza Nigeria, Crunchies Fried Chicken, Tantalizers, Mr Biggs, Sweet Sensation and Mama Cass. Broad incumbents are Yum China Holdings, KFC Nigeria and Nando's.
Does Food Concepts have an API?
No public API is recorded for Food Concepts.
What industry is Food Concepts in?
Food Concepts's product category is Quick-Service Restaurants. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFANAFAI, Prepared Meat & Seafood Entrées with Sides (Complete Meals), with a secondary code of AFANAFAA, Prepared Meat Meals (RTE/RTH). Its NAICS code is 7223 and its SIC code is 5812.