Two brand new American franchise restaurants to open in the fall

MANAMA, BAHRAIN - 17 July 2016

First Bahrain and International Business Group (IBG), the market leader company in representing the finest international brands based in Bahrain, jointly announced the introduction of two new brands to Bahrain today with the first GCC branches of Jalapeno Charlie's - a Mexican-Latin Fusion, and WildSide Texas BBQ - an authentic Texas barbeque to open at the El Mercado - Janabiya neighbourhood market.

"We are excited to be a part of this new development in the Janabiya area, and we are looking forward to introducing WildSide Texas BBQ and Jalapeño Charlie's to the Kingdom of Bahrain. We are confident that these two brands will be as successful here as they are in the U.S." said Mr. Abdul Wahed Al Kooheji, Chairman of IBG.

Commenting on the signing, Amin Al Arrayed, CEO of First Bahrain stated, "We are delighted to welcome IBG and these two strong American brands to our growing community at El Mercado. These casual dining concepts will offer great food with an appealing ambiance, offering strong new alternative for those who want to dine-out while avoiding the crowds downtown. IBG's combined concepts will serve as a strong anchor, situated on the open courtyard with a clear view to the south, offering a lovely location for a relaxing lunch or and sharing an evening out with family and friends."

El Mercado is now over 92% leased with most tenants scheduled to open in the coming two months. The beautiful new neighbourhood market, conveniently located on Avenue 27 just off Sh. Isa bin Salman Highway, offering 48,500 square feet of retail space will be anchored by the largest Al Osra Supermarket within Bahrain. The centre has secured a mix of exclusive restaurants, cafes, and salons for both women and men.

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About First Bahrain
First Bahrain Real Estate Development Company is an innovative regional real estate developer established in Kuwait in October 2004. The organisation has a paid up capital of KD 23.3 million and owns or holds rights to over 1,000,000 square feet of strategically located lands in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Dedicated to achieving sustainable returns through collaborative relationships, First Bahrain creates enduring value for all stakeholders with a demand-driven investment approach. Operating out of Bahrain and Kuwait, First Bahrain is strategically positioned to execute projects across the GCC, in accordance with the principles of Sharia.

First Bahrain is well known for Majaal, an SME-focused industrial facilities development at the Bahrain Investment Wharf in Hidd. The USD 40 million complex includes seven buildings which are fully leased to a diverse portfolio of tenants, generating stable cash flow for the Company.

Building on its success in industrial property, First Bahrain now expands into commercial development with El Mercado Janabiya, a neighbourhood market built on an open-air elevated platform, due to open to the public in Spring 2016.

About IBG
International Business Group WLL (IBG) is a Kingdom of Bahrain based holding company with some of the best known Sports, Retail, and Food & Beverage (The Cacao Lounge, Coconnection, Fire of Brazil Churrascaria) companies and brands within the Middle East and North Africa, Asia Pacific, Europe, and the United States of America. Since 1986, IBG has aimed to create new values from a global perspective. IBG builds strong and trusted relationships, and works closely with our partners to ensure positive outcomes that add value and strengths to our business. For more information on IBG, please call +973 1756 1615 or visit www.ibgbahrain.com.

Issued by First Bahrain:
Amina AlTajir
Tel:         +973 17567560
Mob:      +973 39970599
E-mail:  amina@firstbahrain.com

© Press Release 2016