About us

The Chunara Group of Companies from it's beginning....

Since 1984, Mr. Kadirali Chunara has been a part of the fast food industry. Starting off as an hourly employee at Taco Bell and Burger King in Texas, Mr. Chunara worked his way up to eventually owning a Blimpie sub shop. This franchise basically bought him a job as he worked open to close to provide for his family before eventually catching a break with the purchase of a Church’s Chicken location – a restaurant he still proudly owns today. With less than $20,000 saved up at the time of this purchase, Mr. Chunara had to rely on the trust the seller had in him, to finance the remaining balance of the purchase price. Mr Chunara worked to diligently pay this debt over the next several months at the expense of bringing home any disposable income.

From there onwards, Mr. Chunara managed to save enough money to purchase a few more restaurants before making a splash with Checkers corporate, acquiring 8 stores with an agreement to build a few more in 2004. He then entered the Dunkin system in 2007 with the purchase of 3 corporate stores. Although Mr. Chunara's growth continued within those brands and expanded into others, it was those very initial restaurant purchases that allowed Mr. Chunara to build up his credibility and realize the importance of strong credit; this would become his greatest asset over the next few decades.

Mr. Chunara has managed to continue his growth through the last two decades primarily due to the people he works with. Armed with an operating model that is slightly different than that of the industry standard for large QSR owners, Mr. Chunara ensures that while he grows, those that work the hardest around him, grow with him. Each of his restaurants is operated by a carefully selected operating partner who is also an owner of that restaurant - usually someone who has worked his/her way up as an employee from the beginning. Mr. Chunara understands the vital role these partners play in the Chunara organization, so he enjoys spending time with them away from work. Once every few years, Mr. Chunara will ask his partners to join him on a cruise to ensure there is always the feel of a close knit family between the entire organization.

Till this day, Mr. Chunara works out of the same home office and still answers the phone himself. Mr. Chunara and his son, Shehzaan, focus on the development, administrative, legal, and franchisor relationship components of the business. Both father and son are very thankful to those patrons who frequent their restaurants, and put much emphasis on giving back to the community via the Aga Khan Foundation. As devout Ismaili Muslims, the Chunaras believe “its not only about what you achieve but also what you help others achieve.” So, with every stop at one of their establishments, you can feel good knowing a part of your purchase went to help educate or nourish children in developing countries.










Meet the Team

Kadirali (Ali) Chunara

President
Chunara Group of Companies

Shehzaan Chunara

Vice-President
Chunara Group of Companies

  • Beth Hilscher has been the corporate counsel for the Chunara Group <em>of</em> Companies since 2014. She was part of the restructuring several years ago when the Chunara Group <em>of</em> Companies was formally organized. Beth is known for having the interest of Chunara's partners in mind as if she herself was a part of every deal!

    Beth Hilscher

    Corporate Counsel
    Chunara Group of Companies

Our Operating Partners

  • Under his company, BS Enterprises, Barkat operates a single Checkers location with Mr. Chunara. Barkat has been one of the oldest and most loyal partners with the Chunara Group since 2004 when Mr. Chunara got into the Checkers system. Barkat is known for his consistent work ethic day in and day out!

    Barkat Samnani
    BS Enterprises

  • Under his company, AN Enterprises, Amir operates a single Checkers location with Mr. Chunara. When Amir joined the Chunara Group in 2006, the Checkers restaurant he got into was a very successful one. But today, this same store is one of the top 3 restaurants in the entire portfolio and boasts being the highest Checkers restaurant by sales in Atlanta. Amir is known for his relentless dedication and watching every detail of his restaurant!

    Amirali (Amir) Panjwani
    AN Enterprises

  • Under his company, Darryl operates a single Checkers location with Mr. Chunara. Darryl is one of the older partners from 2004 when Mr. Chunara had first gotten into the Checkers system. Darryl is known for operating the cleanest store at all times!

    Darryl Dawson

  • Under his company, PA Enterprises, Azad operates 4 Popeyes restaurants with Mr. Chunara. Azad has been Mr. Chunara's partner from the start with the Popeyes restaurant in Gainesville. In 2013, Azad started growing the Columbus GA market with Mr. Chunara and now oversees some very profitable restaurants. Azad is known as one of the stronger operators and today oversees 4 of the Chunara Group's most profitable stores.

    Azad Panjwani
    PA Enterprises

  • Under his company, ST Enterprises, Salim is one of Mr. Chunara's operating partners under the Popeyes umbrella. Salim's current role is a Senior Director of Operations for Azad Panjwani. Salim is known for being a great partner with the managers and crew he works with on a daily basis; he is very responsive, and finds a way around one of the industry's biggest issues - labor challenges.

    Salim Sayani
    ST Enterprises

  • Under his company, AV Enterprises, Amin currently operates 2 of the highest volume Popeyes stores in the network. Amin has been a partner with Mr. Chunara since 2005 and for the first several years oversaw a double digit sales increase of his first restaurant in Athens. Then in 2016, Amin built a second Popeyes in Athens which has become another roaring success. Amin is known for his tenacious work ethic and constantly has his eyes on his store treating it as a prized possession at all hours of all days of every week; at the store level, there is absolutely nothing that gets by him.

    Amin Virani
    AV Enterprises

  • Under his company, F&F Enterprises, AK has been part of one of the most amazing single unit success stories in the network's history. Since his Popeyes opened in 2010, AK has performed well seeing a double digit sales increase every single year and in 2019 saw a 30% sales increase at his Popeyes in Winder. AK is known for being a hustler and grinder - not letting his eye off the prize no matter how long it takes to achieve success.

    Mohmedali (AK) Kassam
    F&F Enterprises

  • Under his company, Mar Food Group, Raul is one of the oldest yet one of the newest. Raul has worked at several of Mr. Chunara's Church's locations since 2005 when he was a teenager, but it was in 2018 when he joined the Chunara Group as a partner in a Church's Chicken location. In 2019, he partnered with the Chunara Group for his second Churchs location and today oversees two of the most profitable stores in the network as a percentage of sales. Raul is known for being a quiet, no-nonsense operator that is constantly working hard in his stores every day.

    Raul Mar
    Mar Food Group

  • Under his company, ZSC Enterprises, Sam operates close to 20 Dunkins with Mr. Chunara and has the responsibility of overseeing Mr. Chunara's largest single unit investment - a Dunkin Bakery Operation that supplies donuts to over 100 Dunkins in the Atlanta market. Sam also owns a few pieces of real estate with Mr. Chunara. Before getting here, he worked as an hourly employee at one of Mr. Chunara's first Popeyes restaurants over 10 years ago. He pushed Mr. Chunara to get into the Dunkin system in 2007 while getting his degree from GA Tech around the same time. Sam is known for operating some of the best and cleanest restaurants and assembling one of the strongest teams under him!

    Shams (Sam) Charania
    ZSC Enterprises

  • Under his company, BM Enterprises, Barkat has been one of Mr. Chunara's oldest operating partners across several brands including Burger King, Checkers, and Dunkin. Today, Barkat heads up Mr. Chunara's largest single investment, the Dunkin Central Manufacturing Kitchen. As an operating partner in the project, Barkat took the reigns early on and delivered the construction of the project ahead of time and within budget, something that many believed was impossible because of the complexity of the automated equipment involved and the number of equipment pieces that had to come together to outfit the 32,000 square foot facility. Today the CML operates flawlessly as one of the most efficient Dunkin production facilities in the country all thanks to Barkat's on the ground, fully involved, lead by example leadership style. Barkat is known for having one of the calmest demeanors in the network and is always responsibly getting the job done whatever it may be including taking the lead on the annual Dunkin / Aga Khan Foundation campaign that involves over 200 Dunkins from around the country.

    Barkat (Bert) Colabawala
    BM Enterprises

  • Under his company, Sasha 59 Enterprises, Shamsu operates approximately 10 Dunkins, 12 TGI Fridays, and over 20 Checkers restaurants. He also owns several pieces of real estate with Mr. Chunara. Shamsu is one of the most gifted multi-unit operators and likes to do things on scale, but before all this, he worked  as an hourly employee at one of Mr. Chunara's first Popeyes restaurants over 10 years ago. He pushed Mr. Chunara to get into the Dunkin system in 2007 while getting his degree from University of Arizona, Tuscan around the same time. Currently he is looking to develop several Popeyes restaurants in the South part of Georgia. Shamsu is known for not letting even the smallest detail get by him.

    Shamsu Charania
    Sasha 59 Enterprises

  • Under his company, Shriya LLC, Harry has the current role as Senior Director of Operations for Shamsu in the Dunkin portfolio. In 2012 Harry joined the network bringing over his experience with Raceway, Krispy Krunchy Chicken, and Hunt Brother's Pizza. There was something about the QSR space that Harry gravitated towards since it presented him with the opportunity to do something for himself. Harry is known for identifying opportunities of improvement using numbers!

    Hiten (Harry) Patel
    Shriya LLC

  • Under his company, MTV Food Enterprises, Zain joined Mr. Chunara in 2014 as a Dunkin' partner in one of Mr. Chunara's most high profile Atlanta locations. Zain was new to the QSR space at the time but had worked as an hourly employee for over a year before he found the opportunity to join as a partner. After that first store which sits tall and proud on Atlanta's belt line, Zain was never the one to say no. He would accept any opportunities turned down by other partners and make great success stories out of them, each and every single time. Today he operates 12 Dunkins and 1 Checkers restaurant with Mr. Chunara and in every store actively works to place refugee families in places of stable employment allowing them the opportunity for future social mobility. Zain is known for his hard work ethic and someone that can always be counted on for anything at anytime!

    Zain Veerani
    MTV Food Enterprises

  • Under his company, KJS Food Enterprises, Jay joined the network in 2017 as one of the youngest partners and saw one of the fastest growth trajectories of any partner before him.Jay  has the current role of a Senior Director of Operations for Zain under the Dunkin portfolio.  Jay is known for his hands on operating style and does a great job recruiting people!

    Jay Shah
    KJS Food Enterprises

  • Under his company, SVirani Enterprises, Sam has held many roles within the Chunara Group <em>of</em> Companies. At first Sam was an hourly employee with Mr. Chunara at his first Blimpie sub shop. After that Sam was brought on board as partner in Churchs Chicken very early on. A few years later, he was off to Alabama to oversee the 6 unit Burger King acquisition by Mr. Chunara. Finally a few short years after that, he found his home in 2 Dunkin' Donuts locations on the south side of Atlanta, which he proudly operates today alongside his wife. Those two stores are among the most profitable Dunkin' stores in the entire Chunara portfolio. Sam is known for being a no-nonsense, keep to himself, operator and is in the stores every single day building one of the most fun and relaxed environments for his crew.

    Shamshuddin (Sam) Virani
    SVirani Enterprises

  • Under his company, MR Enterprises, Rahim started off with the ownership of a few Churchs restaurants and worked tirelessly in those restaurants to build sales. Before selling his Churchs restaurants in 2019, Rahim had three of the Churchs brand's most profitable restaurants. He then entered the Take 5 Oil Change system in 2020 with a splash by opening the #1 store (by sales and profitability) in the entire Southeast region. He is growing within the Take 5 system and plans to own a few more shops in the coming years. Rahim is known for his super hard work ethic and always being in his stores rain or shine; it is by no coincidence that anything he touches becomes a roaring success.

    Rahim Manani
    MR Enterprises

  • Under his company, Aswani Enterprises, Asif is one of the newest operating partner additions to the Chunara Group <em>of</em> Companies. Joining the Take 5 Oil Change network in 2020, Asif brings with him a Business management degree from Georgia State University and years of experience in the automotive industry with the development of 8 Emissions Stations in Atlanta. Asif owns and operates multiple Take 5 Oil Change locations in the South Atlanta market. Asif is known for being a calm, easy-going operating partner that is willing to listen and learn.

    Asif Aswani
    Aswani Enterprises

  • Under his company, Aswani Enterprises, Javed is one of the newest and youngest partner additions to the Chunara Group of Companies. Joining the Take 5 part of the network in 2021, Javed brings with him his entrepreneurial mindset from owning his own healtcare contracting company. He has taken a leap of faith in the oil change business with his brother, Asif, and jointly operates 6 locations - all built by Javed from the ground up in a record breaking 18 months! Javed has quickly become known for excellent communication and a relenteless drive and hunger to keep growing by taking some of the riskiest bets of any Chunara operating partner.

    Javed Aswani
    Aswani Enterprises

  • Under his company, SJH Food Enterprises, Shahezad is one of the newest operating partner additions to the Chunara Group of Companies. Joining the Kale Me Crazy network in 2020, Shahezad brings with him tons of experience. He has worked in several Chunara affiliated restaurants for seveal years and was single handedly responslbe for turning around a failing Checkers restaurant in Stockbridge to one of the highest performers in the group. Shahezad has always wanted to own his own business especially in a concept where he gets to serve fresh food and juices so the opportunity to enter the KMC brand was a dream come true for him. Shahezad is known for being a turn around artist who finds it second nature to run clean quality operations with a focus on food and labor costs. He is an extremely hard worker and always eager to keep learning the nuances of the food business.

    Shahezad Hudda
    SJH Food Enterprises

  • Under his company, Vastani Enterprises, Karim brings a track record of success in helping organizations in the midst of extreme change under challenging circumstances, managing strategic business initiatives, achieving financial and operational efficiencies, and developing and managing relationships across complex enterprise-wide constituencies. Karim joined the Chunara group 15 years ago with the  acquisition and operating 2 Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants. Karim recently completed the acquisition of 2 and development agreement of 9 My Eyelab franchise (a telehealth optical concept) locations and the acquition of 9 and a development agreement of 10 Blaze Pizza stores in partnership with The Chunara Group of Companies. Karim has been deeply involved in volunteer service for over two decades and has received President's Volunteer Service Award (PVSA) recognition for his work by the President of the United States for two consecutive years (2018 & 2019). Most recently, Karim was appointed on the board of directors for Platinum Federal Credit Union ($197M, Duluth, GA)

    Karim Vastani
    Vastani Enterprises

  • Under his company, Inner Sanctum, Brad carries the responsibility of day to day operations for Chunara Group's My Eyelab retail optical franchise locations. Brad’s greatest strengths are his ability to identify and motivate others to reach their max potential fueled by his drive and his leadership. He thrives on challenges, particularly those that require dynamic solutions. In 2010 Brad was recognized with the Executive of the Year Award by Vision Precision Holdings LLC for Excellence in Execution. Brad is a past member of the Board of Directors for the Ronald McDonald House in Sacramento CA, a current member of the Franchise Advisory Council for My Eyelab, and has achieved the status of Master Mason with Lodge 717 Calvin Prather in Indianapolis, IN. He has also done volunteer work for Loaves and Fishes in Sacramento, including heading up the 2013 Walgreen's health and wellness campaign that provided free flu shots and eyeglasses for the area's homeless population. Brad is a Jeep Wrangler enthusiast and when he isn't spending time with his wife, step kids or dogs, he is spending time taking apart one of the family's Wranglers for 'improvements'.

    Brad Rodman
    Inner Sanctum Enterprises

  • Under his company, AFI Enterprises, Aman operates 4 BurgerFi units with Mr. Chunara in Orlando. Aman Bhojani is the newest partner to join the Chunara group in 2023. He was born and raised in Copenhagen Denmark and has been residing in Florida for the last 28 years. He has been in the wireless and communication industry for almost two decades as a multi store owner. Some of his retail locations were awarded with top sales in the region and also numerous awards for top operators. He strives to build a positive culture for his team members and aims to create a safe and fun work environment. Aman enjoys an active lifestyle through playing sports. He got the opportunity to represent the USA soccer team as the captain at the Golden Jubilee Games in Nairobi Kenya in 2008 and has played competitively since at a young age. His aspiration and hope is to be able to provide a better quality of life for his family and believes that hard work, dedication and commitment is his path to accomplish that. Aman is known for his tenacity to learn and absorb every bit of information he can.

    Aman Bhojani
    AFI Enterprises