Middle class's discerning palate makes Famous Brands glow.

(From Business Day (South Africa))

Byline: Lindsay Williams

Middle class's discerning palate makes Famous Brands glow FAMOUS Brands turnover has gone up 44% to a record R670m for the year to the end of February. Headline earnings a share is up 38%, and the dividend has increased 67%. Last night Face to Face's spoke to Famous Brands financial director Paris Papageorgiou about the results.

Famous Brands owns Wimpy, Steers, Debon-airs, FishAways, House of Coffees, The Brazilian, Whistle Stop, Baltimore Ice-Cream, Truefruit Premium Juice and other manufacturing concerns. Africa's leading quick-service restaurant and casual dining franchisor has 1165 outlets, and that's changing all the time. Paris, it's the same old story, but it seems to be getting better. You've got good economic conditions and you've got a burgeoning middle class which …