Ravi Prakash, chair of the Edmonton-based O & O Group of Companies, says the hospitality sector remains a resilient and growing industry despite economic pressures, international tariffs and shifting post-pandemic conditions.
Prakash said the company operates about 23 restaurants under multiple quick-service brands, including Second Cup, Marble Slab and Pita Pit. O & O is preparing to open its first Jimmy John’s location in Sherwood Park in mid-January and plans between 12 and 14 more outlets in the Edmonton region over the next two years.
Prakash said the company, founded nearly a decade ago and named after his daughters, has expanded steadily since purchasing its first Pita Pit on Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue.
“We opened the second, third and we never stopped afterwards,” he said.
He said hospitality is “in my blood” after 18 years in the sector and remains one of the world’s largest industries. “No matter how big you become, you have to depend on hospitality people,” he said.
Prakash said quick-service restaurants continue to thrive because of their convenience and relatively low cost.
“Everyone is running out of time nowadays,” he said. “Your average ticket nowadays, even if you stretch yourself… you are between $12 to $15. If you’re going to cook at home, it is going to cost you more.”
He added that the company’s growth has not changed his interest in visiting stores daily and eating from the brands he operates.
“My favourite is Pita Pit because it’s healthy, lighter,” he said.
Prakash said he and his wife, Khushbu Singh, divide the company’s workload, with him focusing on development and new outlets while she manages operations and human resources.
Travel is their main personal activity outside of work, he said, and they aim to take frequent short trips and two longer vacations each year “to refresh ourselves.”
Looking ahead, Prakash said O & O is preparing to expand internationally.
“Very soon we are going to announce that we are going global,” he said, citing plans targeting the Middle East and the United States.
He also pointed to industry challenges, including tighter financing conditions for restaurants and the impact of new U.S. tariffs.
He said margins were already thin and are becoming “even thinner,” adding that Canadian industries should not be vulnerable to political pressure.
“That bullying needs to be stopped,” he said.
When asked about entrepreneurship, Prakash said persistence and focus are essential.
“Believe in yourself,” he said. “Do what you are a master in. You don’t want to be a jumping jack who wants to do each and everything.”
Long-term success, he added, comes from “repeating yourself every morning with the same energy.”
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