Shawarma Shack debuts healthier concept with Singapore launch
It will serve its signature wraps, rice meals, and salad boxes.
Philippine-based Shawarma Shack has taken its first step overseas with the launch of a branch in Singapore, part of a wider plan to reposition the brand with a healthier, more premium identity.
The company, known for its Middle Eastern street food, has invested $390,000 (S$500,000) in the Singapore expansion, which includes a refreshed store design and a menu overhaul featuring higher-quality ingredients, customisable add-ons, and a broader selection of sauces.
“This will be our identity in the future—more on the healthier side, part of our rebranding for our 10th year anniversary in the business,” Walther Uzi Buenavista, CEO and founder of Shawarma Shack, told QSR Media.
The first Singapore outlet opened on 30 July at Toa Payoh’s HDB Hub, with a second branch planned for October at Poiz Centre, Potong Pasir. The group is also eyeing more outlets in Singapore’s western and eastern regions.
Shawarma Shack began as a small family-run venture in 2015 when Buenavista and his wife Patricia set up a stall in a Manila night market. Its affordable wraps quickly became popular with office workers seeking low-cost, convenient meals.
By 2018, the chain had reached 100 stores. Less than a year later, that figure had quadrupled to 400. The brand has since expanded aggressively, opening an average of two outlets daily and surpassing 850 branches nationwide.
The Singapore expansion is viewed as a test case for competing in high-cost markets. Buenavista said the company initially considered setting up in the US but found Singapore more responsive, with straightforward regulations that allowed them to proceed sooner than expected.
In Singapore, the chain will serve its signature shawarma wraps, rice meals, and salad boxes with beef and chicken options. The menu also includes local beverages such as Yeo’s Iced Lemon Tea and First Harvest Green Tea.
Prices start at $4.59 (S$5.90), reflecting a significant jump from the brand’s popular buy-one-get-one offers in the Philippines, where meals can start at $2.23 (S$2.86).
“We noticed in the Singapore market, they want it to be more customisable, so we added options like more vegetables, different kinds of ingredients, and sauces,” Buenavista said.
The company plans to replicate the Singapore menu in the Philippines under a new concept called Shawarma Shack Plus. Unlike the original format, which emphasises affordability, the spin-off will target the middle-premium segment with healthier, customisable meals.
Buenavista said the concept is being reviewed and will first be launched in partnership with SM Malls, starting with SM Fairview in Quezon City.
Industry data suggests the shift aligns with consumer preferences. A PwC Voice of the Consumer report in August noted that 67% of Filipino consumers prioritise nutritional value when buying food, with taste ranking second at 15%.
Buenavista said they would keep the original Shawarma Shack concept, catering to their mass-market base, while the Plus line will focus on central business districts and high-density urban areas such as Bonifacio Global City.
Shawarma Shack aims to expand into 10 international markets in the next five years, he added.
