RAINFOREST Caribbean launched its newest restaurant on Tuesday with an official opening for its Happy Fries concept at its Slipe Road, St Andrew, headquarters. As the name suggests, the offerings surround fries as the main food, served with various toppings.

“This is a concept that was taken from a similar store in Holland. One of our business development managers, Ben Jardim, went there and saw the concept and decided to replicate it in Jamaica. Essentially, it’s a simple concept: It’s fries and toppings, and we have Jamaicanised it so we brought in the conceptualiser from overseas and he helped us to design a Jamaican version. It’s meant to be quick and reasonably priced,” Jerome Miles, general manager of Rainforest Caribbean, told the Jamaica Observer.

“Right now, three main products are sold in the store, of different sizes. We have fries with toppings, and there are 20 different toppings to choose from or combine — from oxtail gravy to the basic of fries and ketchup — and in-between you have peanut sauce, bacon bits, frank bits, spicy mustard, and a range of others,” Miles pointed out. The other two products on offer at the store are the Rainforest fritters that are sold in the company’s Fish Pot stores, and also a festive frank which is similar to a corndog.

The store was opened in June after a $25-million spend to retrofit the location.

“We just really got to the stage now where we think it is presentable to have an official launch, and we are already making plans to open other stores in other areas,” Miles continued. He said the next location being actively planned for 2024 is in Montego Bay, St James.

“It appeals mostly to young people. Our clientele is really ‘schoolers’ and people who want a quick snack. It is accessible because the price is reasonable.”

Miles said since the launch in June the store has performed well above expectations. “The store will become profitable in less than two years,” he noted.

“It’s a happy place so we focus on customer service significantly. We think we can roll out the concept across Jamaica and the region because it doesn’t take up a lot of space.”

He said Rainforest is not planning any expansion of its Fish Pot restaurants at the moment. The company operates three Fish Pot stores – two in Kingston and one in Portmore, St Catherine. It also operates another restaurant called Seafood Market in Freeport, St James.

“That concept is a little bit more upscale than a Fish Pot, and we are looking to expand it. We are now looking for the right location in Kingston and St Ann to expand.”