Is Pedros the Same Company as Nando's?

No. Pedros and Nando’s are completely separate companies with different founders, different ownership structures, and different origins. They are rivals, not relatives. The confusion is understandable given that both chains sell Portuguese-inspired peri-peri flame-grilled chicken in South Africa, but the business behind each one has nothing to do with the other. Here is the full story on both.

Table of Contents

The Short Answer

	Pedros	Nando’s
Founded	2018, KwaZulu-Natal	1987, Johannesburg
Founder	Moosa Bux	Fernando Duarte and Robert Brozin
Current ownership	Privately held, Moosa Bux	The Enthoven family
Headquarters	Durban, KwaZulu-Natal	Johannesburg, Gauteng
South African locations	200+	300+
International locations	Botswana	30 countries, 1,200+ outlets
Listed company	No	No

Who Owns Pedros?

Pedros is privately owned by its founder, Moosa Bux, a Durban businessman who spent over a decade in retail, property and fast food before launching the brand. His background includes directorships at Spar and flame-grilled chicken outlets across KwaZulu-Natal. He holds a BCom in Economics from the University of Johannesburg and an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science.

The idea behind Pedros was direct: offer genuinely good flame-grilled chicken at prices that lower and middle-income South Africans could afford. In Pedros’ own words, the mission is “to disrupt the fast-food industry by providing high-quality, flame-grilled meals at prices accessible to lower and middle-class consumers.” The first store opened in KwaZulu-Natal in 2018 and was immediately profitable.

Pedros describes itself as a proudly South African company that sources all its products from local producers. Every chicken is marinated for 24 hours in its signature peri-peri-inspired spice blend before going on the flame grill, which is the preparation behind the flavour difference customers notice.

Growth has been rapid. From that first KZN store in 2018, Pedros has reached over 200 locations across South Africa and Botswana and recently acquired Bird & Co, a KZN-based chicken and pizza chain, adding nine more locations to its portfolio. The stated target is 250 stores by 2027.

Who Owns Nando’s?

Nando’s was founded in 1987 in Rosettenville, Johannesburg, by Fernando Duarte and Robert Brozin. The name comes from Fernando’s nickname, and the Rooster of Barcelos logo is a reference to one of Portugal’s most recognised symbols, which is also where Pedros shares visual language, both chains draw on Afro-Portuguese identity.

The chain was wholly owned for decades by South African businessman Dick Enthoven, who died in 2022. Nando’s is now owned by the Enthoven family. It remains privately held.

From its Johannesburg origins, Nando’s has grown into a global operation with over 1,200 outlets across 30 countries. Its largest international presence is in the United Kingdom with 470 sites, followed by Australia with 155, Malaysia with 73, and the United States with 46 locations across five states. South Africa has around 300 locations. The chain’s global expansion has been driven by its irreverent advertising, known for satirical campaigns that comment on current events and social trends, which built a loyal following particularly among 18 to 35 year olds.

The South African Chicken Wars

When Pedros opened its first store in 2018, it positioned itself directly against Nando’s in the flame-grilled peri-peri segment, not against KFC or Chicken Licken in the fried chicken market. That was a deliberate strategic choice. Flame-grilled chicken sits at a price point above fried chicken, and Nando’s had owned that positioning in South Africa since 1987. Pedros stepped into the same category with a cost leadership model, offering comparable flame-grilled chicken at prices 25 to 40 percent lower than Nando’s for comparable meals.

The Economist dubbed the rivalry the “chicken wars”, and the framing stuck. South Africans consume more chicken than any other meat, with poultry accounting for 49 percent of animal protein consumed per person annually, which makes the stakes in this particular fight genuinely high for both chains.

The price difference on a direct comparable shows how it plays out. A quarter chicken at Pedros costs R32.99 on its own, against R60.00 at Nando’s. A full chicken is R124.99 at Pedros against R205.00 at Nando’s, a gap of R80.01 on the same meal. On family-sized orders the difference is proportionally similar.

Why Do They Look Similar?

Both chains use the Rooster of Barcelos as a visual motif, which is where a lot of the confusion comes from. The Rooster of Barcelos is a Portuguese folk symbol, not a trademarked element specific to either chain, and both independently chose it as part of an Afro-Portuguese brand identity. The similarity in visual language is a deliberate positioning choice by Pedros, making the comparison with Nando’s explicit to customers, rather than any shared origin.

Both also describe their chicken as flame-grilled and peri-peri style. Again, these are product descriptions rather than brand-specific terms. The actual recipes, sauces, preparation methods and spice blends are entirely separate.

How the Two Chains Actually Compare

They are not the same, and the differences go beyond who owns them.

Format. Nando’s is a sit-down restaurant with table service, a full drinks menu including alcohol at licensed branches, and in some locations a breakfast offering. Pedros is primarily a takeaway operation with a focus on speed and throughput.

Price. Pedros is consistently and substantially cheaper across every chicken category. The gap is smallest on wings (where Nando’s is actually slightly cheaper per piece) and largest on whole chicken portions.

Menu breadth. Nando’s offers pitas, Boujee Bowls, Hotpot rice, desserts, churros and a full vegetarian range across every main. Pedros has its Loaded Paella range, which has no equivalent at Nando’s, but a narrower overall menu. Pedros has one vegetarian main, the Slaw Wrap.

Reach. Nando’s has 300 South African locations and over 1,200 globally. Pedros has 200 and is growing faster on a percentage basis, but Nando’s is still larger and more widely distributed.

Pedros and Nando’s: Quick Answers

Is Pedros the same company as Nando’s?

No. Pedros was founded by Moosa Bux in KwaZulu-Natal in 2018. Nando’s was founded by Fernando Duarte and Robert Brozin in Johannesburg in 1987. They have separate founders, separate ownership, separate headquarters and no corporate connection.

Who owns Pedros?

Pedros is privately owned by its founder Moosa Bux, a Durban businessman with a BCom in Economics and an MBA from the Gordon Institute of Business Science. The company is privately held and based in Durban.

Who owns Nando’s?

Nando’s is owned by the Enthoven family, following the death of longtime owner Dick Enthoven in 2022. It was founded by Fernando Duarte and Robert Brozin in 1987.

Are Pedros and Nando’s the same kind of food?

Both sell Portuguese-inspired peri-peri flame-grilled chicken, which is why they are direct rivals. The recipes, sauces, spice blends and preparation methods are entirely separate. Both also use the Rooster of Barcelos as a symbol, which is a Portuguese folk motif rather than a brand-specific trademark.

Why is Pedros cheaper than Nando’s?

Pedros deliberately positions itself as a cost leader in the flame-grilled chicken segment. It operates primarily as a takeaway chain rather than a sit-down restaurant, keeps overheads lower, and targets a high-volume, lower-margin model. Prices across comparable items run 25 to 40 percent below Nando’s.

How many Pedros locations are there?

Over 200 across South Africa and Botswana, with a stated target of 250 by 2027. Pedros also recently acquired Bird & Co, a KZN chicken and pizza chain, adding nine more locations.

How many Nando’s locations are there in South Africa?

Around 300 in South Africa. Globally, Nando’s operates over 1,200 outlets across 30 countries, with its largest international presence in the United Kingdom at 470 sites.

All ownership and founding information is sourced from official company profiles, BusinessTech, and Wikipedia. Fast food price comparisons are pulled from the live menu price pages on this site.