Kosher fast-food chain Zalman's sold for a huge sum
The Israeli kosher fast-food chain Zalman's has been sold: Kamari Retail Group acquired half of the business for 3.5 million shekels, valuing the entire brand at 7 million shekels. The chain was founded by Moshe Zalman Olive, a Chabad Hasid, and has 12 branches. Plans include expansion to 20 locations by the end of 2026 and up to 40 in the future, with a focus on the ultra-Orthodox audience.
The Israeli kosher fast-food chain Zalman's has changed ownership: Kamari Retail Group acquired half of the business for 3.5 million shekels, valuing the entire brand at 7 million shekels. The chain was founded by Moshe Zalman Olive, an American-born Chabad Hasid who brought to Israel the concept of American street food in a kosher 'mehadrin' standard. The menu includes beef hot dogs, corn sausages, corned beef sandwiches, sausage toasts, and schnitzels. Prices are low: a beef hot dog sandwich costs from 38 shekels, a children's meal is 19 shekels. The chain currently has 12 branches, including in Jerusalem, Bnei Brak, Tel Aviv, and Ra'anana. A shift to the 'Badatz Eda Haredit' kosher certification helped strengthen its position among the Haredi community. The partners plan to increase the number of branches to about 20 by the end of 2026, and later reach 40 locations nationwide, focusing on cities with large Haredi populations: Elad, Beit Shemesh, Beitar Illit, and Modiin Illit. Assaf Kamari, one of the owners of Kamari Retail Group, stated that the main goal of the deal is to make the American kosher concept of Zalman's accessible to a wider audience.