Sandella's Flatbread Café
Encyclopedia
Sandella's Flatbread Café is an international sandwich restaurant chain founded by Michael J. Stimola known for its proprietary flatbread.
, Sandella's, named for his wife, Sandra, and mother, Ellajane. It offered traditional sandwiches on baguettes and artisan breads. In 1996, he introduced flatbread, a novel concept in the United States at that time. After developing new ways to use the flatbread (for paninis, quesadillas, pizzas, salads, and noodle bowls), Stimola eventually dropped the other breads and added Flatbread to the company's name. The flatbread differs from traditional tortilla
s which use vegetable shortening to keep the tortillas soft. Sandella's bread is traditional lavash, soft when fresh but dries to a crispy cracker-like texture when exposed to air over time. Stimola says, "Today, many of the products being sold as flatbread contain preservatives and fat to make them flexible, but not ours at Sandella's." In 1997, the company started to sell franchises and expanded. Sandella's can be located on numerous college campuses, in addition to Connecticut and New York Thruways, and free-standing franchise owned stores in the United States and United Arab Emirates
. As of 2011, 79 locations were listed on the company's web site.
, the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with additional stores opening in Dubai and Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
Note * 1 Store is soon to open
History
Michael J. Stimola opened a small coffee and sandwich shop in 1994 in ConnecticutConnecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
, Sandella's, named for his wife, Sandra, and mother, Ellajane. It offered traditional sandwiches on baguettes and artisan breads. In 1996, he introduced flatbread, a novel concept in the United States at that time. After developing new ways to use the flatbread (for paninis, quesadillas, pizzas, salads, and noodle bowls), Stimola eventually dropped the other breads and added Flatbread to the company's name. The flatbread differs from traditional tortilla
Tortilla
In Mexico and Central America, a tortilla is a type of thin, unleavened flat bread, made from finely ground maize...
s which use vegetable shortening to keep the tortillas soft. Sandella's bread is traditional lavash, soft when fresh but dries to a crispy cracker-like texture when exposed to air over time. Stimola says, "Today, many of the products being sold as flatbread contain preservatives and fat to make them flexible, but not ours at Sandella's." In 1997, the company started to sell franchises and expanded. Sandella's can be located on numerous college campuses, in addition to Connecticut and New York Thruways, and free-standing franchise owned stores in the United States and United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates, abbreviated as the UAE, or shortened to "the Emirates", is a state situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula in Western Asia on the Persian Gulf, bordering Oman, and Saudi Arabia, and sharing sea borders with Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, and Iran.The UAE is a...
. As of 2011, 79 locations were listed on the company's web site.
Expansion and acquisition
Sandella's Company began to expand in the Middle East. In early 2009, its first location was in DubaiDubai
Dubai is a city and emirate in the United Arab Emirates . The emirate is located south of the Persian Gulf on the Arabian Peninsula and has the largest population with the second-largest land territory by area of all the emirates, after Abu Dhabi...
, the most populous city in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with additional stores opening in Dubai and Khobar, Saudi Arabia.
Asia: 3 stores* 10 stores |
North America: 67 stores |
Note * 1 Store is soon to open
Awards
- Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers Award 2008
- 2007 Top Movers & Shakers List Number 44 - Fast Casual Magazine
- Number 252 on Restaurants & Institutions Top 400 Chains List
- Future 50' List – Restaurant Business 2006
- Seventh fastest growing food concept in the US! - Restaurant Business
- Listed in Weight Watchers Points Guide