Inside Your Business - What Does It Take To Build A Successful Restaurant Chain In SA

Guest – Ryan Pellatt, Operations Executive at Fournews [Owners of News Café, Soul Souvlaki and MOYO]

What’s driving restaurant industry success in South Africa? According to Stats SA, income from the food and beverages industry grew by 4.5% year-on-year in May 2025, with 95% of South Africans dining out at least once a month. It’s a lucrative space, but it takes more than good food to build staying power in such a competitive market.

For the past three decades, brands like News Café have become a cornerstone of South Africa’s urban culture evolving with customers, innovating in operations, and remaining relevant across generations.
Now, with expansion plans into new local and regional markets, the question is: what does it take to build and sustain a restaurant chain that not only survives, but thrives?