Tourism & Hospitality | Thursday 20 April, 2017 1:57 pm |

Marka PJSC (DFM: MARKA), the first public joint stock retail operator in the UAE, has announced that it is opening the first Reem Al Bawadi outlet in Abu Dhabi – a strategic location that has been selected to meet consumer demand and further Marka’s ongoing expansion plans for its flagship brand.  

Khaled Al Mheiri, Vice Chairman and CEO of Marka, commented: “We are delighted to be introducing Reem Al Bawadi’s authentic Middle Eastern cuisine and famed hospitality to the UAE capital. It is a milestone in our focused expansion efforts and represents the first in a number of exciting new openings that will follow within the year. We have undertaken four Reem Al Bawadi expansions over the past 18 months, which has grown the franchise to a total of twelve outlets across the GCC – an ambitious expansion strategy that reflects the strong consumer demand for this award-winning brand.”

The new restaurant brings Reem Al Bawadi’s family friendly dining experience to Dalma Mall – one of Abu Dhabi’s leading dining, retail and leisure destinations. Covering 4,920 square feet, the restaurant offers a total capacity of 243 covers, with 111 seats inside and 132 seats located across two welcoming outdoor spaces. The large terrace offers customers a perfect hangout spot for enjoying delicious food and shisha, and the space is sure to become a popular destination also during the summer months, with plans to introduce a fully air conditioned atmosphere. The venue also features a multitude of TV screens and large screen projectors, allowing guests to catch-up over unmissable football games and the region’s favourite televised sporting events.

Khaled Al Mheiri added: “Consumers are increasingly looking for quality experiences from restaurants that can deliver consistently, and this explains the widespread success of Reem Al Bawadi. We have robust expansion plans for the restaurant in the UAE and the wider GCC region, and we look forward to bringing our customers new opportunities to enjoy their favourite food in Reem Al Bawadi’s uniquely welcoming atmosphere.”

The twelve existing Reem Al Bawadi restaurants are to be joined by two additional Dubai locations within the year: Jumeirah Creekside Hotel and Avenues Mall in Motor City. The restaurant is also participating at the Global Village this year, while Marka’s long-term strategy for the brand will see new franchises expanding further into Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, among other deals that are in the pipeline.

Since its inception in 2001, Reem Al Bawadi has gone from strength to strength and earned recognition as the UAE’s top Middle Eastern restaurant. The brand has been acknowledged with major awards, collecting the What’s On Dubai Award in the coveted ‘Affordable Dining’ category for two consecutive years in 2014 and 2015; the ‘Best Middle Eastern Restaurant’ accolade at the prestigious BBC Good Food Middle East Awards in 2014; and the ‘Best MENA Franchise Brand 2016’ award from the Middle East & North Africa Franchise Association (MENAFA). The awards are testament to the brand’s strong consumer following and sterling reputation across the UAE and wider GCC region.