Two iconic food brands based in Toronto — Rabba Fine Foods and Paramount Fine Foods — are partnering for an innovative and unique kitchen concept that combines the best of both businesses.
Rabba Fine Foods will open a new local market in Regent Park in early 2021 and it will feature a pilot concept called Rabba Kitchen – By Paramount, a shop-in-shop takeout counter that will offer freshly-made meal options with a Middle Eastern-inspired menu.
Rabba Kitchen – By Paramount Set to be Rabba’s 35th Location
It will be Rabba’s 35th location.
“We’ve been great fans of Paramount Fine Foods over the years,” said Jack Rabba, Founder of Rabba and a dedicated Toronto-area grocer since 1967. “This collaboration is a result of many months of planning and, of course, many enjoyable taste tests. I can assure you the final product passes with flying colours, and a very satisfied appetite.”
Rick Rabba, President of Rabba, said the company is always offering its customers quality products and selection and “we’re expanding the breadth of our offering with a very high quality brand that everyone knows and loves”.
“We’re working towards opening multiple locations. Because of our longstanding relationship we’ve had in the past, the offerings complement each other just from a taste perspective,” he said, adding that the Regent Park location offers the right demographics for the concept.
“It’s urban customers looking for convenience who are familiar with Mediterranean cuisine and are familiar with Rabba’s offering. It’s really the exact right place for both brands to be.”
Rabba Fine Foods is a local market and convenience store which is open 24 hours a day in neighbourhoods throughout the Greater Toronto Area.
Paramount Fine Foods is a global Middle Eastern cuisine restaurant chain with 74 locations, primarily in Ontario, but with two locations in British Columbia, three in Edmonton, one in Quebec, with two being built. Locations also exist in England, Beirut, Pakistan, and in Africa. The first location was 2007 in Mississauga.
“The region of the Middle East has long been revered for its flavours, spices and wholesome meals,” said Mohamad Fakih, founder and president of Paramount Fine Foods. “Together with Jack Rabba and his team, we’ll be able to honour our common roots while sharing our love of food with even more people than we could achieve on our own. In these times of pandemic, it’s more important than ever for all of us to celebrate life’s greatest, often small and humble, pleasures.”
Paramount to Launch Butcher Shop & Restaurant Concept Within Rabba
He said the partnership with Rabba includes Paramount launching its butcher shop and restaurant concept within a Rabba location.
“It will actually complete the image of what Rabba needs,” said Fakih. “Especially if you look at supermarkets today. They’re bringing in and including ready-made food made by specialists instead of just making it, box it and sell it. So here the consumers are actually buying it from the franchise inside their own supermarket.”
One butcher shop will be opening in a Rabba store in Mississauga where Paramount took a corner of about 1,200 square feet. The first location will open in mid-January.
“Having us available in a supermarket will make us available to more clientele, more footprint and a great location. Rabba is very well known to be located very well in a location. Very smart business locations. He has secured them years and years ago. Those locations will provide us higher sales,” said Fakih.
He said the pilot project — Rabba Kitchen – By Paramount — has intentions to start with five Paramount restaurant locations inside Rabba.
“We’re putting in there Paramount and our new fried chicken concept called Krispo,” added Fakih.
