Nando's History

Nando's is a South African casual dining restaurant group originating from the Mozambican–Portuguese community with aPortuguese/Mozambiquan theme. Founded in 1987, Nando's operates about 1,000 outlets in thirty countries on five continents and as of 2012 had sales of $650 million. Nando's specializes in chicken dishes with either lemon and herb, medium, hot, extra hot or extra extra hot Peri-Peri marinades (properly known as Galinha à Africana). In some countries, Nando's has other flavour options like mango and lime or Mediterranean.

The Portuguese settlers to Mozambique were introduced to pili pili chili by the African Mozambicans who had incorporated it in their cuisine. The term 'pili pili' is Swahili for 'pepper pepper'. The settlers began to use piri piri in their own daily cooking. The restaurant has its origins in a mining town in South Africa, where many Mozambicans of Portuguese origins relocated to Johannesburg in search of gold and carried piri piri recipes to South Africa. Industries catering to the mining communities began to grow in Rosettenville, including "Chickenland". The restaurant began in 1987 when Portuguese-Mozambican Fernando Duarte along with Robert Brozin bought a restaurant called Chickenland in Rosettenville, southern Johannesburg in South Africa. They renamed the restaurant Nando's, after Duarte. The restaurant incorporated influences from former Portuguese colonists from Mozambique, many of whom had settled on the south-eastern side of Johannesburg, after their homeland's independence in 1975. The logo is derived from the Rooster of Barcelos.

Nando's specialises in flame-grilled Peri-Peri chicken. The chicken is served in quarters, halves, wholes, and butterfly breasts (UK, Ireland and South Africa only). Nando's also serves burgers, pitas, salads, wings and wraps. In some countries, Nando’s sells chicken livers,Espetada (a large stand with a skewer of chicken breast and grilled peppers) and Cataplana (a chicken and rice dish served in a traditional Portuguese copper dish).

Peri-peri (piri piri, pili pili), also known as African Bird's Eye chilli, is a variety of Capsicum frutescens widely grown in East and Southern Africa. Nando's products are basted in one of four Peri-Peri flavours. Nando's has published a book about Peri-Peri called Pain and Pleasure – Peri-Peri the contrasts and contradictions of the African Bird's Eye Chilli. Nando's manufactures a range of sauces which are sold in Nando's restaurants and in supermarkets. They include Peri-Peri sauces, marinades, cooking sauces and a Peri-Peri Essence.