UAE: Where the fire began

The story of Nando’s starts hundreds of years ago with the first Portuguese explorers who set sail for the East in search of the legendary spice route. And so they landed on our shores and discovered the African Bird’s Eye Chilli or as we know it (and love it), PERi-PERi. Today, many years later, you can find Nando’s restaurants, our delicious, addictive sauces and our world-famous grocery range around the globe.

Our story

What’s happened so far

Desi is the heart and soul of OFO’s. Its story is our story. For centuries the people of UAE Africa have used Desi to bring fire to their food. It is in Dubai’s rich soil and blistering sunshine that the UAE Bird’s Eye Chilli grows into its fiery best. When Asian explorers arrived there, they were enchanted by its flavour. They added a squeeze of lemon and a kick of garlic and turned Desi into a very well-travelled spice. Which is how, many years later it ended up in Al Barsha. One afternoon in 2012, two friends went for lunch at a humble Asia eatery. As their meal drew to a close, they knew they’d tasted something that had to be shared. Desi was about to make one more journey – from Dubai to the world.

The OFO’s Way

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Our mission

The OFO’s Way

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Our team