The vibrant culinary landscape in Iraq is set to change as American brands enter its food scene.
A city rich in history, Baghdad has long been a centre of gastronomic delights, going back to its days as the capital of the Abbasid Caliphate between the eighth and 13th centuries.
Now American brands have ventured into this ancient metropolis, with the stage set for an infusion of new flavours.
From beloved fast-food franchises including Kentucky Fried Chicken, Hardee’s, Burger King and Pizza Hut to indulgent dessert chains such as Cinnabon, these American pioneers are poised to reshape Baghdad's culinary landscape.
Twenty years after the US-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein's regime, Baghdad finds itself embracing a new era of international cuisine.
The presence of multinational chains and foreign companies in Iraq serves as a symbol of “recovery, security improvement and stability”, lab doctor Zaid Al Badri, 68, tells The National as he shares a table with his family outside KFC and Pizza Hut, in the vibrant Baghdad neighbourhood of Jadiriyah.
The smell of fried chicken and spices fills the air as eager customers queue to place their orders.
Inside KFC, uniformed servers make their way through packed halls bustling with families and groups of teenagers.
There is a lively and welcoming atmosphere, with conversations blending with the sounds of sizzling fryers and clinking cutlery.
Mohammed Ayad, an oil engineer, enjoyed eating at fast-food restaurants such as KFC while studying for six years in Moscow. He is excited to indulge in familiar flavours in Baghdad.
“I’m happy they have opened a place here,” Mr Ayad, 25, tells The National.
But the prices, ranging from 6,500 Iraqi dinars ($5) for a kids' meal to 59,500 dinars for a family meal, are expensive, he says.
He paid 29,500 dinars for the eight-piece bucket meal. That is nearly double the price he used to pay in Moscow.
“But the taste is unparalleled and I’m happy,” he says.
Food businesses have flourished in Iraq recently, owing to the population's deep passion for food.
Local and foreign businesses have spent millions of dollars to bring international food chains to the country, with the majority coming from Turkey and Gulf states.
New local brands have also been established with the help of foreign chefs and staff.
A short walk from KFC, the scent of freshly baked cinnamon rolls attracts customers to Cinnabon.
Baghdad businessman
The venue offers a variety of baked goods that Iraqis seem to enjoy.
“It’s really amazing to have original brand here and that will be highly appreciated among Iraqis, as they love food,” says businessman Saif Ali, 44.
Mr Ali also believes the prices are too expensive compared with the Cinnabon outlets in other countries.
Omar Al Jabouri, managing director of Al Salail for General Trading and Food Services, the franchisee of Cinnabon, said the menu was made more costly by import costs.
“For sure, the prices will be higher than its peers, but this is a foreign brand so the ingredients and equipment are not bought from local markets, they are imported exclusively for the chain,” he said.
“There are many obstacles in Iraq for projects, including corruption, energy issues, transportation and [a fluctuating] exchange rate. All of that impacts prices.”
He was pleased with the amount of customers that had been served only days after the venue opened, he said.
“Iraqi people are eager to try foreign brands as they offer high-quality products, which can’t be compared to other brands,” Mr Al Jabouri said.
Cinnabon is not the first American brand franchised by Al Salail. It is looking to expand further with new brands.
“We bring successful brands to Iraq and we spare no effort to make it a success,” he said.
“We are optimistic that we will succeed.”
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Know your cyber adversaries
Cryptojacking: Compromises a device or network to mine cryptocurrencies without an organisation's knowledge.
Distributed denial-of-service: Floods systems, servers or networks with information, effectively blocking them.
Man-in-the-middle attack: Intercepts two-way communication to obtain information, spy on participants or alter the outcome.
Malware: Installs itself in a network when a user clicks on a compromised link or email attachment.
Phishing: Aims to secure personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers.
Ransomware: Encrypts user data, denying access and demands a payment to decrypt it.
Spyware: Collects information without the user's knowledge, which is then passed on to bad actors.
Trojans: Create a backdoor into systems, which becomes a point of entry for an attack.
Viruses: Infect applications in a system and replicate themselves as they go, just like their biological counterparts.
Worms: Send copies of themselves to other users or contacts. They don't attack the system, but they overload it.
Zero-day exploit: Exploits a vulnerability in software before a fix is found.
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British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
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“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
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Stuck in a job without a pay rise? Here's what to do
Chris Greaves, the managing director of Hays Gulf Region, says those without a pay rise for an extended period must start asking questions – both of themselves and their employer.
“First, are they happy with that or do they want more?” he says. “Job-seeking is a time-consuming, frustrating and long-winded affair so are they prepared to put themselves through that rigmarole? Before they consider that, they must ask their employer what is happening.”
Most employees bring up pay rise queries at their annual performance appraisal and find out what the company has in store for them from a career perspective.
Those with no formal appraisal system, Mr Greaves says, should ask HR or their line manager for an assessment.
“You want to find out how they value your contribution and where your job could go,” he says. “You’ve got to be brave enough to ask some questions and if you don’t like the answers then you have to develop a strategy or change jobs if you are prepared to go through the job-seeking process.”
For those that do reach the salary negotiation with their current employer, Mr Greaves says there is no point in asking for less than 5 per cent.
“However, this can only really have any chance of success if you can identify where you add value to the business (preferably you can put a monetary value on it), or you can point to a sustained contribution above the call of duty or to other achievements you think your employer will value.”
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Mina Al Oraibi: Air strike casts a long shadow over the decade ahead
Jack Moore: Why the assassination is such a monumental gamble
Matthew Levitt: Iran retains its ability to launch terror attacks
Damien McElroy: A CEO tasked with spreading Iran's influence
Hussein Ibish: Trump's order on solid constitutional ground
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Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
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