Accelerating a Great Australian Family Story
One of Australia’s premium charcoal chicken brands, El Jannah, today announced a bold national expansion strategy to quadruple its number of restaurants from 50 to almost 200 in the coming years.
From a humble charcoal chicken shop opened by Lebanese migrant couple Andre and Carole Estephan in Western Sydney in 1998, El Jannah has quickly developed into an Australian cultural institution.
Serving charcoal-grilled chicken platters with family hospitality and warmth, El Jannah has built a loyal and growing base of customers across Australia, with a reputation for serving fresh, high-quality and affordable food.
Since 2020, El Jannah has grown its number of restaurants from five to 50, with 160,000 transactions occuring every week across Sydney, Melbourne, Canberra, Wollongong and the Southern Highlands.
Mr Estephan said his dream was for millions of Australians to be able to enjoy El Jannah’s unique Middle Eastern chicken offering for the first time.
“From the day Carole and I opened our first restaurant in Granville, our dream was simple — to share the flavours and hospitality we grew up with in Lebanon,” he said.
“We built El Jannah with our family for Australian families. We now want to carry that dream into its next generation, while keeping our culture, values and identity exactly where they belong — at the heart of the business.
“Our dream is to offer our customers more locations and more convenience, allowing more people to discover the brand Australians already love. We want to share our authentic flavours and recipes, our renowned service reflecting Lebanese warmth and our cultural soul that has defined us from the beginning.”
As part of its next growth chapter, El Jannah intends to open more than 25 restaurants in the following locations in the next 12 months:
- NSW – Cranebrook, Cronulla, Emerald Hills, Maroubra, North Rocks, Ropes Crossing, Rozelle, Rutherford (Hunter Valley), Sydney CBD and Warringah Mall.
- Victoria – Armstrong Creek, Ashburton, Box Hill, Carrum Downs, Corio, Cranbourne East, Cranbourne West, Hawthorn, Ivanhoe, Lilydale, Roxburgh Park, South Yarra, Sunbury, Wollert and Wyndam Vale.
- ACT – Woden.
The brand’s future growth is being made possible because of a significant investment from General Atlantic, a leading global investor.
Founded in 1980, General Atlantic specialises in partnering with innovative businesses around the world. General Atlantic has a strong track record of supporting founders and management teams to accelerate growth, including through domestic and international expansion and development of digital capabilities.
General Atlantic has invested in a range of high-growth food and beverage companies globally, including Joe & The Juice, as well as distinguished Australian brand Zimmermann.
El Jannah CEO Brett Houldin will continue to lead the business, supported by the Estephan family and General Atlantic.
Mr Houldin said the company’s signature charcoal chicken, its unmistakable garlic sauce, and the warmth of Lebanese family hospitality were part of its soul and DNA created by the Estephans.
“Our partnership with GA means we can explore selective international expansion for the first time, including the possibility of exporting our unique Australian-Middle Eastern flavour profile back to the Middle East, and into other high-potential markets,” he said.
“That will be the ultimate proof of the Australian migrant success story. We are committed to preserving the soul of the brand the Estephan family built, while accelerating our next phase of growth. With General Atlantic beside us, we are positioned to grow our Australian footprint, deepen our digital and guest experience capability, and explore selective international opportunities.”
Neal Kok, Managing Director and Head of Southeast Asia & Australia at General Atlantic, said: “El Jannah is one of the most distinctive and exciting restaurant offerings we have seen in Australia. Its combination of authentic food and amazing community following are core to what has made it an incredible success. We are privileged to support the business in its next leg of expansion and proud to partner with Brett and the Estephan family as they bring El Jannah to more communities across Australia and, in time, internationally.”
Media enquiries:
El Jannah
Adam Connolly, Apollo Communications, +61 (0)417 710 084
General Atlantic
Jess Gill [email protected]
Scott Schuberg [email protected]
Jonathan Buxeda [email protected]
About El Jannah
El Jannah is a family-owned Lebanese-Australian restaurant brand renowned for its legendary charcoal chicken and famous garlic sauce. Founded in 1998 in Granville, Sydney, by Andre and Carole Estephan, the business has grown from a humble neighbourhood eatery in western Sydney into one of Australia’s most beloved restaurant brands. Today, El Jannah is celebrated for its Lebanese hospitality with generous portions, fresh ingredients, and commitment to bringing people together over authentic, shareable food. With 50 locations expanding across the country, El Jannah continues to uphold its family values and heritage while delivering a unique dining experience to generations of loyal fans.
About General Atlantic
General Atlantic is a leading global investor with more than four and a half decades of experience providing capital and strategic support for over 830 companies throughout its history. Established in 1980, General Atlantic continues to be a dedicated partner to visionary founders and investors seeking to build dynamic businesses and create long term value. Guided by the conviction that entrepreneurs can be incredible agents of transformational change, the firm combines a collaborative global approach, sector specific expertise, a long-term investment horizon, and a deep understanding of growth drivers to partner with and scale innovative businesses around the world. The firm leverages its patient capital, operational expertise, and global platform to support a diversified investment platform spanning Growth Equity, Credit, Climate, and Sustainable Infrastructure strategies. General Atlantic manages approximately $118 billion in assets under management, inclusive of all strategies, as of September 30, 2025, with more than 900 professionals in 20 countries across five regions. For more information on General Atlantic, please visit: www.generalatlantic.com.