Fogo De Chão's Award-Winning Dining Experience Will Soon Be In Canada
The amount of meat eaten has doubled worldwide over the past 30 years, per Statista. We won't claim Fogo de Chão is responsible for this trend, but certainly, the growth of the Brazilian-born steakhouse chain over this time frame is considerable. Fogo de Chão's signature churrasco experience — which features a prix-fixe menu of fire-cooked meat cuts prepared by traditionally trained gaucho chefs before being sliced and served tableside, per the company's website – was first introduced in Porto Alegre, Brazin in 1979. The first U.S. location wasn't opened until 1997, but by 2015, Market Watch confirms, there were a little more than three dozen restaurants operating in the U.S. and Brazil, with a single location open in Mexico.
Fogo de Chão's growth really began accelerating in 2015, however, as the steakhouse chain expanded from the 37 locations open that year to 66 in 2022. According to a press release in Globe Newswire, this growth spurt is expected to continue as the chain eyes new markets in Asia and North America. A new restaurant is slated to open in Manila in the Philippines in 2023, Rappler notes, and even bigger plans are currently afoot in Canada. Per the press release, Fogo de Chão is partnering with the Toronto-headquartered hospitality company Debut Development Group to open 10 restaurants in Canada by 2033.
Fogo de Chão's international expansion plans
"Fogo de Chão is a very attractive partner for us given its established, proven concept and unique experience built on discovery," Michael Wilkings, CEO of Debut Development Group, said via Globe Newswire. "We're honored to partner with Fogo to create additional value for the brand and bring Canadian guests a dining experience unlike any other." However, no plans have been announced as yet on where in Canada the 10 Fogo de Chão restaurants will be located, or when they might open relative to the development timeframe given (within the next 11 years) in the press release.
Fogo de Chão's increased international presence, it should be noted, is by no means limited to Canada and the Philippines. The restaurant chain now has two locations in the Middle East — in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and Dubai, United Arab Emirates — the latter opening in 2018, according to Hotelier. In 2022, meanwhile, Fogo de Chão added to its Mexican portfolio of Mexico City and Guadalajara with a new restaurant in Monterrey, per Globe Newswire. There are also at least five new U.S. locations in the works for 2022, including two already open in Coral Gables, Florida, and El Segundo, California. The other three new U.S. restaurants — in Queens, New York; Fort Lauderdale, Florida; and Paramus, New Jersey — are expected to open their doors before the end of 2022, per the press release.