Ahmed Omar Mandela is the visionary behind Café Javas, commonly referred to as CJs, which has emerged as a prominent restaurant chain in Nairobi.
Since its entry into the Kenyan market, the establishment has gained significant traction, effectively competing with major players.
Mandela is also the founder of the Mandela Group of Companies, a diversified conglomerate with ventures in hospitality, oil, manufacturing, and automotive industries.
In addition, he holds the position of President of Sports Club Villa (SC Villa), having advanced from the role of treasurer in November 2021.
Through the establishment of the Mandela Group of Companies, he launched CJs with the objective of enhancing operational standards within the hospitality sector.
The first CJs location was situated on Bombo Road, primarily catering to the middle and working classes who were willing to invest in a quality dining experience.
In a relatively short timeframe, the restaurant gained immense popularity, leading the entrepreneur to expand by opening additional branches across various locations in Kampala, ultimately increasing the total number of outlets to nine—eight in Kampala and one in Entebbe.
Following the remarkable success of the restaurant in Uganda, Mandela recognized the opportunity to expand into Kenya, the largest economy in the East African region.
However, his attempt to enter the Kenyan market faced significant challenges.
Upon announcing plans to establish a restaurant in Nairobi, they were met with a court order that prohibited their entry.
This legal action was initiated by Kenya’s Java House, which argued that the proposed name would infringe on their trademark.
Consequently, Mandela was compelled to rebrand from Café Javas to CJs Restaurant.
In April 2018, the restaurant launched its inaugural branch on Koinange Street in Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD).
Currently, there are four branches located in Nairobi: along Koinange Street, at Village Market, in Kilimani, and at The Waterfront Mall in Karen.
Other ventures
In addition to his endeavors in the hospitality industry, Mandela has diversified his investments through the Mandela Group of Companies.
He owns Mandela Millers, a firm that produces a variety of wheat and maize products, including flour, as well as City Tyres, which stands as the largest tyre manufacturing company in Uganda.
Mandela is the proprietor of City Oil, a prominent fuel and lubricants enterprise that operates a network of state-of-the-art fuel stations across eight locations in Kampala, Uganda.
Additionally, he owns Mandela Auto Spares, which is recognized as Uganda’s foremost supplier of new, genuine spare parts for vehicles of all ages.
Furthermore, Mandela is the owner of City World, a leading distributor of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sourced from internationally acclaimed brands in Europe, Asia, and America, along with other companies such as Savers, City Retread, City Lubes, and On The Go.
