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Top 100: People – Carlos Guerra, Giraffas

Carlos Guerra, founder of Giraffas, is number 12 on our list of the 2014 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers: People.

October 21, 2014

Carlos Guerra, founder of Giraffas, is number 12 on our list of the 2014 Fast Casual Top 100 Movers & Shakers: People.

While many American-based concepts are franchising their brands outside the United States, Carlos Guerra's Brazilian fast casual concept recently opened in America.

Guerra opened his first Giraffas restaurant in Brazil more than 30 years ago, focusing on sandwiches and burgers. Today, he has more than 400 locations in Brazil, and the menu has evolved to include Brazilian comfort food, featuring barbecue, beans, steak and chicken. With all that success under his belt, Guerra decided to bring the concept to the United States, opening the first U.S. location last year in Miami.

"Florida right now is the destination of many Brazilian tourists and we have a lot of Brazilians living in the area," said Guerra, who said he's just getting warmed up with Miami.

Within the next five years he plans to have 40 to 50 locations across America. While many American-based concepts are franchising their brands outside the United States, Carlos Guerra's Brazilian fast casual concept recently opened in America.