How can a food chain succeed without ever opening a restaurant where people can dine? That's the challenge a group of young Egyptian entrepreneurs took on when they founded Sage Food, one of the first virtual food chains in the world serving only through delivery. Khalid Ragab, co-founder of Sage Foods, said the company's goal is to be the biggest delivery service in Egypt through a chain of virtual restaurants that cater to a need in Egypt's food market. After extensive research, it appeared that the bulk of the Egyptian food market was in delivery while the bulk of the cost was in the ownership of the property, said Ragab, so a restaurant that operates only on delivery seemed to be the recipe for success. Sage Foods' first venture was The Burger Kitchen, (www.theburgerkitchen.com) which launched in March 2008. The Burger Kitchen delivers gourmet burgers made of 100 percent fresh beef, with a guarantee that everything from the ingredients to the packaging ensure the delivery of high quality, fresh burgers. Most recently, Sage Foods launched Vital (www.vitalssj.com), which caters to a largely untapped market need: healthy food. For the growing number of health-conscious people in Egypt, Vital's salads, soups and juices will be a welcome treat. Vital offers a wide range of delicious salads in large portions, perfect for a satisfying, nutritious and figure-friendly lunch. You can also make your own salad by choosing everything from the base salad to the ingredients and the dressing. Currently in the making at Sage Foods is Tender Bites Chicken, which will deliver premium fried chicken - available through a limited number of chains in Egypt - as well as grilled and other kinds of chicken. Sage Foods is also preparing for the launch of a catering service, Sage Banquet, which will deliver home-cooked meals to households as well as cater to weddings and business functions. Sage Food segments are currently only delivered in Maadi and are served in El-Shader café, also in Maadi, as well as the Diplomats Village in the North Coast. The company is planning on opening new branches in other districts and in universities soon. To get a taste of Sage Foods, call (02) 2522 2204/5.
