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Shah Halal’s incredible journey began in 2005, with just a single food cart on 121st Street and Liberty Avenue in Richmond Hill, Queens. They prepared all the food at home, using a small kitchen and a garage, at first.
As they kept opening one food cart after the other, their menu started to develop into what it is now, giving birth to what is now considered the Shah’s most popular dishes; are the signature chicken and rice platter and gyros, which are core menu items in addition to chicken sandwiches, Philly cheesesteaks, hot wings, and burgers. Furthermore, their crave-able sauces that are made from scratch.
As their fanbase grew, Shah Halal shifted from just operating from their food cart, to opening restaurants and the company now boasts 17 storefront locations across Long Island and two more on the way in Freeport and Stony Brook, as well as a network of both branded and unbranded food carts across New York City. Other locations include Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey and California. There is also a United Kingdom operation with several food trucks operating under contract with the London transit system.
While Shah Halal’s began their story in New York, it has always been their dream to share Shah Halal’s passion for American Halal Food with both the US and the world. As a long-term goal, Khalid Mashriqi, the CEO of the fast-growing Shah’s Halal Food, and a graduate from Queens College with a degree in political science, dreams of becoming the “McDonald’s of halal.” And given the company’s current quick rate of expansion, it’s a goal that might just be in reach. “There’s McDonalds, Arby’s, Subway and Wendy’s, but nothing for halal,” says Mashriqi, noting the current fast-food landscape.
The company was started by Mashriqi’s father Ibrahim and two business partners, Shafiq Mashriqi and Rahimullah Mashriqi. Nearly 60 percent of Shah’s corporate staff is made up of family members. Khalid Mashriqi, now 37, came to the U.S. with his family from Afghanistan in the early 1980s. Since 2016, he has taken over all business operations.
Competition for halal fast-food consumers continues to grow across LI and beyond. Research firm Technavio says the U.S. halal market will grow by $8 billion through the end of 2024, fueled primarily by a rising U.S. Muslim population. However, Khalid says that most of his customers are non-Muslim and that most like the freshness of his food and the unique tastes. Mashriqi, confident in his own products believes that, “We’re our greatest competition,” noting that Shah’s is going up against the big guys.
Looking ahead, Khalid envisions Shah’s locations across the country. “We’re definitely going nationwide with this, it’s just a matter of time,” he says, adding that the company has been steadily regrouping since Covid and solidifying its operations. He also plans to bring his special brand of halal to the United Arab Emirates.
“All of the UAE is halal, but what differentiates us is our food. Nobody has our food, that’s what it comes down to. Our sauces, how everything is prepared … no one has it.”
To learn more about Shah Halal, visit www.shahshalalfood.com
Article originally from: www.longislandpress.com
