Established in South Africa in 1995, Fournews is a franchise group who proudly have 76 stores across South Africa and Africa. The group has developed a portfolio of successful brands over the past 21 years, with recognisable brands that include; News Cafe, moyo, Brooklyn Brothers and Krispy Kreme.
The company, which operates on a franchise and company-owned model, is a private company that values innovation and the creation of real experiences.
Launched in 1992, Calisto’s Portuguese Restaurant was founded by entrepreneur; Jorge Calisto. Passionate about Portuguese food and flavours, he developed a hearty family brand that has grown tremendously since it’s humble beginnings at its first restaurant in an almost derelict tennis clubhouse in Turffontein, Johannesburg, 24 years ago. Its popularity was attributed to the delicious Portuguese food, vibe, and personal attention, ensuring that all patrons were treated like family and friends.
In 2011, Calisto joined forces with Nicholas Binos and together they franchised the Calisto’s brand, opening additional stores nationwide. With nine restaurants now open across the country, the Calisto’s brand further expanded in 2012 with the launch of Senhor Calisto’s fast food outlet. With 25 stores currently, Senhor Calisto’s specialises in flavourful flamed grilled chicken that follows the timeless Calisto’s secret recipes, developed with pride by Jorge Calisto.
“Calisto’s and Senhor Calisto’s are authentic brands with a great story and a fantastic footprint. We are extremely proud to welcome them to the Fournews family and we are proud to partner with the dynamic duo,” says Michael Deftereos, executive director of operations at Fournews. “Following our introduction of Krispy Kreme to the South Africa market, we have, for some time, been looking for a local acquisition. We feel that that the synergy of the Calisto’s brand is a perfect fit for our sized company.”
Deftereos goes on to say; “With this deal, we move forward into a new and exciting phase for growth within the group. It is a bold move but the negotiations have been extremely positive from day one, and both teams are eager to carry on with this infectious energy going forward.”
Ultimately, Calisto’s will leverage off Fournews' existing national footprint as well as their established and successful network in Africa.
“Our plan is to assist in the development of the brand together with Jorge and Nico and aside from the obvious growth synergy, we will quickly integrate the brands into our logistics and support platforms providing significant value to our franchisees,” explains Deftereos. “Calisto’s is the leading Portuguese Restaurant in the country and Senhor Calisto’s are establishing themselves as the number one choice for Portuguese chicken. They are a perfect fit alongside our other best-in-class brands,” concludes Deftereos.