Shelby's

What Shelby's does

Shelby's is a Canadian fast-casual restaurant chain specializing in customizable shawarma wraps and bowls, founded in London, Ontario in 2015 by Yazan El-Shalabi (CEO) and Yasser Ali (CMO) after they purchased a $10,000 food trailer in Lambeth, ON in 2014. The company began as a single dine-in location and a Halal food truck in London, transitioned to franchising in 2021, and has grown to 37+ locations across Ontario (including the Greater Toronto Area) by 2024, with expansion to the United States initiated in 2025 and planned entries into the UK and Middle East. The menu centers on two concepts — "Shawarma Shelby's Way" (loaded signature wraps and bowls with crispy fries, proprietary sauces, and fusion toppings such as El Pastor, Butter Chicken, and Canadian bowls) and Traditional Shawarma (protein wraps in Saj bread) — alongside kids' meals, sides, and the 2025-launched Abbas' Legendary Smoothies sub-brand, with 100% hand-slaughtered Halal certification across all proteins serving as a structural differentiator.

The core technology stack is intentionally lean: Shelby's operates on the third-party Revelup online ordering platform (shelbyscanada.revelup.online) complemented by a proprietary iOS/Android mobile app that supports ordering, order tracking, in-app payments, and loyalty points. No proprietary technology platform, API, or AI/ML capability is disclosed; the technology footprint is sufficient for direct-to-consumer ordering and basic CRM via the rewards program but does not extend into proprietary logistics, supply-chain, or restaurant-operations software.

Shelby's makes money through two primary streams: (1) one-time food and beverage sales at company-owned and franchised restaurant locations, plus gift cards, mobile-app orders, and third-party delivery (delivery fees of $6-$10), and (2) franchise fees and royalties from multi-unit operators, who are required to commit to 5+ restaurants with a $669,000-$885,000 per-restaurant initial investment, $1,000,000 minimum liquid assets, and $2,500,000 minimum net worth. The customer base spans individual consumers seeking halal fast-casual dining in Ontario and experienced QSR multi-unit franchise developers in Canada and internationally. The leadership bench — including President/CFO Usama Valam (20+ years in M&A and corporate development), VP Real Estate Sandra Lewis (formerly of A&W and Starbucks), and VP Training Jason LeGroulx (formerly Domino's, Boston Pizza, Subway) — reflects franchise-scale operating discipline. The company holds 501-1,000 employees, is privately held with no disclosed institutional investors, and maintains official sports partnerships with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Toronto FC, and Western Mustangs.

Name

Shelby's

Legal name

Shelby's Franchise Holdings Inc.

Website

https://shelbys.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Shelby's is a Canadian fast-casual shawarma restaurant chain with 37+ Ontario locations, a franchising model, 100% Halal-certified menu, 2025 US expansion, and a new Abbas' Smoothies sub-brand.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Limited-Service Restaurants (722513)

SIC

Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810)

akta.pro primary industry

Middle Eastern & Mediterranean QSR (Kebab, Shawarma, Falafel) (THAFAAAG)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sandwiches & Wraps Fast Casual (THAFABAG)

Keywords

• Fast casual dining
• Shawarma restaurant chain
• Halal food service
• Franchise restaurant
• Middle eastern cuisine

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Restaurant food and beverage sales: Direct sales from Shawarma wraps, bowls, traditional shawarma, sides, drinks, and Abbas' Smoothies at company-owned and franchised restaurant locations.
2. Franchise fees and royalties: Initial franchise investment of $669,000 to $885,000 per restaurant, with minimum liquid assets of $1,000,000 and required net worth of $2,500,000. Franchisees must develop 5 or more restaurants.
3. Gift cards: Physical gift cards sold at locations and digital gift cards through online ordering system.
4. Catering orders: Catering menu services (coming soon according to FAQ).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Shelby's operates a fast-casual shawarma restaurant chain selling customizable shawarma wraps, bowls, the signature Boutine dish, traditional shawarma in Saj bread, sides, beverages, kids' meals, and Abbas' Legendary Smoothies & Shakes through company-owned and franchised locations in Ontario, with US expansion starting in 2025. The brand is anchored by 100% hand-slaughtered halal meat, proprietary housemade sauces, and a 'build your own' fusion menu combining Middle Eastern shawarma traditions with global flavors. Ordering is supported via in-store dining, online ordering through the Revelup platform, a proprietary mobile app, third-party delivery, and a loyalty rewards program.

Product overview

Shelby's is a fast-casual shawarma restaurant chain founded in London, Ontario in 2015. The company operates on a franchise model offering two main product lines: Shawarma Shelby's Way (signature wraps and bowls with fries, unique sauces, and fusion toppings) and Traditional Shawarma (classic wraps in Saj bread). Their menu also includes Abbas' Legendary Smoothies & Shakes (a separate sub-brand), kids' meals, sides, and beverages. The company supports its restaurants with a mobile app for ordering, loyalty rewards, and online ordering platform. Franchise opportunities are available for experienced QSR operators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Abbas' Legendary Smoothies: A smoothie and shake sub-brand featuring fruit smoothies made with fresh mango, strawberry, vanilla ice cream, dragonfruit, and pineapple, as well as shakes including pistachio, lotus biscoff, red velvet, and cookies and cream.

Quantifiable outcome

• 37 locations across Ontario as of 2024
• +2 more outcomes

Segments2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Osmow's Shawarma: One of Canada's largest halal shawarma fast-casual chains, with a multi-hundred-location footprint across Ontario and other provinces. Closest direct competitor to Shelby's in menu, halal positioning, and customer base.
• Pita Pit: Fast-casual wrap and pita chain with a build-your-own model similar to Shelby's 'Your Way' wraps and bowls. Overlaps in customer occasion and customization experience.
• CAVA: US-based Mediterranean fast-casual chain specializing in customizable bowls and wraps. Comparable custom-build menu format and fast-casual price point; benchmarks Shelby's potential US expansion playbook.
• Lazeez Shawarma: Canadian halal shawarma chain operating in Ontario and other provinces with a similar fast-casual menu and value positioning.
• Tahini's Restaurants: Middle Eastern fast-casual chain with multiple Ontario locations serving shawarma, wraps, and bowls. Directly comparable menu and customer segment to Shelby's.
• Mr. Greek Mediterranean Kitchen: Canadian Mediterranean fast-casual chain serving souvlaki, shawarma-style items, and bowls. Adjacent menu and customer segment to Shelby's.
• Paramount Fine Foods: Canadian Middle Eastern fast-casual chain offering shawarma, wraps, and bowls with a similar premium, halal-friendly positioning. Competes with Shelby's in Ontario and broader Canadian markets.

Broad incumbents

• A&W Canada: Established Canadian burger QSR chain with a broad Ontario footprint. Competes for the same quick-service meal occasions and customer spend as Shelby's, though not in the Middle Eastern niche.
• Subway Canada: Global sandwich/sub chain with broad Canadian presence. Competes for wrap and quick-service occasions and is a relevant labor/franchise benchmark.

Regional players

• Saigon Lotus: Vietnamese-leaning fast-casual chain with locations primarily in Western Canada. Not a direct competitor, but comparable as a regional, franchise-driven fast-casual growth story.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/shelbyscanada
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCxVuxiprEIOItdZlAhfz5MQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/shelbyscanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shelbyscanada
• Instagraminstagram.com/shelbyscanada
• TikToktiktok.com/@shelbyscanada?lang=en

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Shelby's