Tahini’s goes global: London restaurant chain expanding to the U.S. [Video]

A restaurant that started out with one location on Richmond Row in London, Ont., and now has 57 franchises across the country, is moving into the busy American food market.

Tahini’s will open locations in Chicago and New Jersey this year — an expansion that comes during a tense time for businesses operating in both countries as the threat of tariffs and retaliatory tariffs loom.

“We’ve been working on this expansion for a while now. We’ve found the sites and we should be opening within six months. We’re really excited to be moving into the States,” said Omar Hamam, the CEO of Tahini’s, which serves Mediterranean food with a fusion twist — think chicken shawarma but butter chicken or Jamaican jerk.

“Ever since I started the company, I was thinking of not just the States, but going into the rest of the world as well. I would love for it …