UAE shoppers among world’s highest spenders on food and beverage, says survey
Dubai, UAE: First Avenue, the new mall and hotel project planned for Motor City in Dubai, has signed up a raft of high-profile brands in the broad beverage category, including Krispy Kreme, Costa Coffee, London Diary and Mikel Coffee as UAE shoppers spend more than most other countries on food and beverage when they visit malls.
Krispy Kreme, Costa Coffee, London Dairy and Mikel Coffee will be among 15 food and beverage outlets at First Avenue – a new motoring-themed mall, co-located with a four-star 150-room Park Inn by Radisson hotel, overlooking the race track at Dubai Autodrome. First Avenue is owned and operated by Saudi Arabia’s Al Tawfeeq for Development and Investment (ATDI).
Krispy Kreme is well known for its yeast-raised, glazed doughnuts, with 15 varieties of doughnut especially popular with young professionals and families. Coffeehouse Costa is a popular coffee brand with global recognition. Meanwhile, London Dairy offers a variety of flavoured ice cream desserts, with outlets across the UAE and in the region. Mikel Coffee, the first Greek coffee company, operates more than 100 stores, recording over 100,000 cups of coffee served daily and 300 tons of coffee annually.
The bundle of beverage retailers was announced as plans gather pace to open First Avenue which will serve a catchment area with a rapidly growing population in one of Dubai’s emerging suburban quarters.
According to a report released earlier this year by property consultants CBRE, the UAE follows Norway and Switzerland as the third highest spender on food and beverage products in the world. CBRE examined the eating habits of 22,000 mall shoppers aged between 16 and 65 years. UAE residents spend an average of AED68 on food and beverage per person per mall visit, compared to AED70 for Norwegians and AED74 for the Swiss.
“Demand is high for big-name brands in the broad beverage segment and First Avenue is responding to that,” Dr Ramy Moussly, General Manager of ATDI, the Saudi-owned backer for the project. “We know that consumers in Motor City are discerning, many of them young families and professionals who expect major high-street brands to be on their doorsteps. With Krispy Kreme, Costa Coffee, London Dairy and Mikel Coffee, we have three of the best known brands in the global beverage industry. Strategically located in an emerging suburban quarter in Dubai, First Avenue is emerging as a week-long destination development rather than just somewhere to go at weekends. We want to scale that reputation, building on our unique motoring theme and offering visitors a compelling retail and dining experience, co-located with a Park Inn by Radisson hotel. We are delighted to welcome these big-name brands in the broad beverage category to First Avenue,” he said.
About First Avenue:
First Avenue, located in Dubai’s Motor City, is designed as an environmentally friendly, contemporary, European-style mall, with an indoor-outdoor boulevard and Arabesque influences. It will be a social and retail hub, with a distinct automotive and lifestyle theme. The two-storey development stretches across 500,000sq/ft, with a one-kilometre roadway linking each end. First Avenue is strategically sited in a rapidly growing suburban area of Dubai, close to Sports City, Arabian Ranches, Al Barari, Silicon Oasis, Nshama, Mudon, Studio City and Dubai Production City. It is a short drive from Maktoum International Airport and the Expo 2020 site. The area is rich in facilities like parks, schools and swimming pools. The development is located at Dubai Autodrome which is open throughout the year offering indoor and outdoor karting, a racing experience and a laserdrome. Dubai Autodrome is a world-class motorsport facility, with national and international races and suites for corporate hospitality.
