UK's Pret A Manger says set to make Dubai debut
British food brand Pret A Manger has announced plans to expand into the UAE market following a franchise deal with Emirates Leisure Retail (ELR).
Opening later this year in the new Concourse D, Terminal 1 at Dubai International Airport, the shop will bring its freshly prepared food and organic coffee to the concourse, which when fully opened, will be home to more than 100 airlines and bring the capacity of Dubai International to 90 million passengers a year.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary next year, Pret is known around the world for its natural food and organic coffee, with all sandwiches, salads and wraps made fresh in shops each day.
Pret A Manger currently operates 374 shops in the UK, US, France, Hong Kong and Shanghai, and its expansion announcement comes as the company revealed 2014 group sales of £594 million last week.
Pret A Manger CEO, Clive Schlee, said: "The UAE is a brand new territory for us, and with Dubai International now the busiest international airport in the world, we believe the new shop will present an exciting opportunity for Pret.
"Our airside shop, with its large on-site kitchen, will offer the best of Pret's menu to passengers as they transit through the terminal, or stay and enjoy our comfortable seating area between flights.
"We've worked hard to source the best quality ingredients for our new menu, and look forward to hearing what customers think when we open later this year."
Andrew Day, Group CEO of Emirates Leisure Retail added: "We are tremendously excited by the opportunities this partnership presents and are fully committed to delivering the brand promise and creating consumer experiences that will exceed our customers' expectations."
Eugene Barry, executive vice president of Dubai Airports Commercial Group said: "This move represents a further evolution of our food and beverage strategy, and reflects higher expectations from our global customer base. We are delighted that Dubai International has been chosen for Pret A Manger's first shop in the UAE."
