DUBAI November 2010: Local and international food and beverage franchises are proving lucrative business opportunities in the Middle East, according to Abdul Rahman Falaknaz, Chairman of International Expo-Consults (IEC), the organiser of Franchising Middle East (FME), the region’s leading trade event for the franchise sector.
“In the past few months the F&B franchise sector has seen phenomenal growth in the Middle East, pointing to its growing popularity as a business model. Both local and international brands are expanding heavily and we predict this to continue as the region starts to emerge from the global economic downturn,” said Falaknaz.
Subway® restaurants chain in the Middle East has announced it will soon operate 100 outlets in UAE, 44 in Kuwait and 43 in Saudi Arabia, as it adds three outlets in the UAE and Kuwait and two in Saudi Arabia by the end of the year.
Joseph Tabet, Regional Director of Subway® Middle East & Africa, said: “We are proud to announce our network is further expanding, and will continue to grow to reach our customers with utmost convenience. I would like to congratulate SUBWAY® restaurants in UAE, KSA, and Kuwait for their remarkable efforts, as we gear up to opening additional outlets in most of the Arab countries in the near future.”
Subway® restaurants chain is one of the many international brands that will be promoting its franchising opportunities at FME. FME is the region’s only exhibition that offers a world of exciting opportunities to international franchisers to access the thriving Middle East and North Africa (MENA) market and launch their franchise concepts.
Other F&B franchise options seeing growth across the Middle East include American sandwich chain Quiznos, which has signed a master franchise agreement to open 15 outlets in Kuwait. This will mark Quiznos’ first venture into the Middle East.
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver is also entering the market through a master franchisee agreement with Jawad Business Group.
Jamie’s Italian will launch in Dubai Festival City at the end of this year with a 290-seater restaurant complete with pasta bar. Oliver’s brand of Italian restaurants already operates 15 outlets in the UK.
Meanwhile, local brands are looking at going international using the franchise model. UAE-based Just Falafel has enlisted global franchise experts Francom to look at taking the brand global.
The eighth edition of FME will take place on March 14-16, 2011 at the Sheikh Saeed Hall 1 at Dubai World Trade Centre.
FME is the largest international franchise exhibition in the Middle East and is supported by the IFA (International Franchise Association). The exhibition facilitates direct communication between entrepreneurs and potential franchise buyers from the region and beyond. For more information visit www.franchisingme.com
NOTES FOR THE EDITOR:
About International Expo-Consults (IEC):
International Expo-Consults (IEC) is an internationally recognized trade show management company with an impressive track record of 16 years of operations in the Middle East and Asia Pacific region. The Exhibition arm of the Dubai-based conglomerate, the Falak Holding; IEC is the organiser of key exhibitions including Sportex Middle East (SPORTEX), Chemical Process Plant and Machinery (CPPM), Sign and Graphics Imaging (SGI), Franchising Middle East (FME) and the Dubai, Entertainment, Amusement and Leisure (DEAL).
A multi-billion dollar Dubai-based conglomerate, Falak Holding has been an industry pioneer for the last 30 years having diversified business interests including real estate development; retail - sports, fashion, home furnishings; exhibitions, medical diagnostics, trading and many more as part of its portfolio. Falak Holding is also a key stakeholder and investor in the prestigious Dubai Sports City project.