untitled design

Expansion of traditional restaurant in RJ, Cria takes chicken inside sandwiches

O Rio de Janeiro will win a new restaurant in the neighborhood of leblon next Thursday (23). commanded by cousins Daniela Pereira It is Beatriz Cunha from the third generation of the family that owns the traditional King of the Chickens, in the center of the city, the new house will take the chicken, ingredient that changed the history of their grandfathers and fathers, into sandwiches .

Described as the first establishment specializing in sandwiches of this type of meat in Brazil, the Create – name given in reference to the slang used to explain the origin of something or someone – will start the expansion of the family brand.

The idea is that at least five more units will be opened in the coming years. The initial investment was around R$ 1 million and the goal is for 600 sandwiches to be sold per day.

King’s Cub: The story that began 55 years ago

The years were 1945 and 1950 when the Portuguese Amadeu and Celestino landed in Rio de Janeiro to start their lives in Brazil. They became best friends in what would be the city where they would build their families and which they would call home.

At the time, it was very common for immigrants arriving in Rio to set up their own businesses in various segments in order to stay in the city.

It was then that Celestino had the idea of ​​opening a restaurant. But what would you do to differentiate yourself from so many others that were opening at the time?

He thought a lot and arrived at the product that would change the history of his family: the chicken. Still little explored in the region in that decade, he thought it would be something different, fast and financially accessible. He arrived at the seasoning recipe that is still kept under lock and key – made with herbs and spices.

In 1967 the first unit of the king of chickens was inaugurated in the center of Rio de Janeiro, precisely on Rua Rodrigo Silva. What he would not have imagined was that the company would last for more than five decades and that he would be the link with his great friend forever.

From generation to generation and one family

Seeing great potential in the business, Amadeu decided to join as a partner in the opening of the second unit, also in the center of the city. Society, however, ended up taking on an even greater proportion when their children married each other and their families became one.

To understand better: each had a couple of children. Amadeus was the father of Maria Cecilia and Luiz Antonio, while Celestino had Paulo and Maria de Lourdes. Maria Cecília and Paulo grew up together and got married, having Daniela and two more daughters. Luiz Antônio, in turn, had a son and triplets, one of them Beatriz who will command the Create with Daniela.

“It’s a little confusing to understand, but the result is that great friends and partners have become part of the same family. His four children were always close friends and were interested in continuing with the story of the King of Galetos that has lasted for over 55 years. I am very proud because they are a great example. They always got along very well and this is our great challenge with Cria. We, the third generation, want to continue with this great business and history in the best possible way, with a lot of respect and friendship”, emphasizes Daniela Pereira, daughter of Paulo and granddaughter of the two entrepreneurs.

The Beginning of Create

An architect by training, Daniela became interested in the business eight years ago. She jokes that she feels “it’s like it’s in the family’s DNA.” She began by observing all of the restaurant’s processes and, in 2016, began the process of updating the brand. She likes to point out that modernization has nothing to do with “Gourmetization” – it happened to make the environment more comfortable and pleasant – the essence has always been and will always be the same.

They reformed the two downtown units and gained even more interest from the public. Loyal, many customers have lunch there five days a week – and more than 80,000 chickens are sold a year.

In 2017, they launched a product that was very successful, especially during the pandemic – and which gave rise to Cria: the king’s sanduba, a chicken sandwich with a special sauce. Numerous units were sold. .

Cousins ​​Daniela and Beatriz then started the brand’s expansion project. Together with the whole family, they did market research and arrived at the products they were going to bet on. The idea, given to four hands, is a source of pride.

“The public was already enjoying our restaurants a lot and we wanted to expand the brand. We wanted to bring something challenging and new and not just open a franchise. After a year of planning, Cria was born, the first house specializing in chicken sandwiches from Brazil. The idea is to bring chicken even more into people’s daily lives”, explains Beatriz.

“My grandfather worked 10 years without vacation to have his own business. We want to continue with the result of so much battle and we saw an opportunity in our hands”, completes Daniela.

The opening of the house and menu

The space will open this Thursday, on Rua Ataulfo ​​de Paiva, in Leblon. With the proposal to be a fast food for any time of the day, there will be few places inside the establishment, which has 40m2. Customers will be able to place their orders at totems and pick them up at the counter.

Eight types of sandwiches on baguette bread were developed. the classic King’s Sandwich , of course, is on the menu. He takes sliced ​​chicken with the King’s Sauce, made with dijon mustard aioli and chimichurri (R$ 34.50).

patrony with sliced ​​chicken, caramelized pineapple, barbecue sauce and iceberg lettuce (R$39.50); caprese with roasted tomato, herbs, Minas Padrão cheese, basil pesto and arugula aioli (R$ 48.50); millet with breaded chicken, Minas Padrão cheese, arugula and King’s Sauce (R$ 57.90); Namaste, with sliced ​​chicken, curry sauce and salad (R$43); orient yourself with oriental sauce and bean sprouts (R$ 43); honey baby made with bacon and onion compote, mustard sauce with honey and iceberg lettuce (R$ 38.50) and cheddar with creamy cheese sauce, barbecue and bacon farofa (R$ 38.50) are the other options.

“The preparation is done in our house. It has the right amount of seasoning and a special taste. At Rei dos Galetos, it is made over coals. For Cria, we had a very big challenge. After a lot of research and testing in several ovens, we arrived at a really cool pattern, which will maintain the juiciness and identity of our chicken.”, he explains.

“I like to point out that we don’t have anything ‘gourmet’. We are going to sell a very tasty chicken sandwich, which is still a sandwich, ”she adds.

In addition to sandwiches, the Croqueleto – chicken croquette – also stands out on the menu and can be ordered as a side dish (R$9.50) along with paprika chips or fries (R$9.80).

In addition, they make up the menu Hot dogs on brioche bread (from BRL 35.90); Wraps in sheet bread (BRL 34.50); chicken salads (from BRL 44.50) and desserts like pudding (R$15) and chocolate mousse (R$18.50).

With 10 employees, who went through an immersion process visiting the entire production and service process at Rei dos Galetos and having contact with employees who have been working in the business for decades, the family’s goal is to sell 600 sandwiches a day and expand soon , even more the brand.

Create: Road Ataulfo ​​de Paiva, 1228 – Leblon, Rio de Janeiro/Phone: (21)3559-1229/ Opening hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays, from 11:30 am to 10:00 pm; from Thursday to Saturday, from 11:30 am to 10:30 pm.



Source: CNN Brasil

You may also like

Get the latest

Stay Informed: Get the Latest Updates and Insights

 

Most popular