Each year FASA honours individuals who have, in some form or another, made a valuable contribution to the franchise industry.
Like many young entrepreneurs at the time who went on to found some of our most iconic food and retail franchises, Fats Lazarides grew up in a close-knit Greek community of corner cafe and fast food owners with big dreams.
As a true-blood entrepreneur, and through grit and sheer determination, he built a reputable brand that is not only a household name in South Africa, but is fast becoming an international success.
With only R800 in start-up capital, Lazarides turned his dream of owning the perfect restaurant into reality even with the odds stacked against him. Fats Lazarides has built a seafood empire on the back of sound franchise principles and a philosophy of serving great food at a great price. What is his entrepreneurial philosophy?
“Anything great is worth fighting for; it’s not about feeling overwhelmed by the challenges, it’s the thrill of finding solutions, and making them work.”