ADNOC Distribution COO Klaas Mantel on the Americana partnership and rise of non-fuel retail
COO Klaas Mantel explains how the partnership with Americana fits a wider shift from “fuel plus something” to “many things plus energy
22 May, 2026
TT
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When ADNOC Distribution and Americana Restaurants announced their strategic partnership on May 19, the numbers told one story: up to 200 quick service restaurants drawn from Americana’s portfolio of 12 globally recognised brands, among them KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee’s, Krispy Kreme, Costa Coffee and Baskin-Robbins, rolling out across ADNOC Distribution’s network in three countries.
But the strategic story is bigger than a brand line-up. The deal lands as ADNOC Distribution is actively rewiring what a service station is for. Non-fuel retail was a standout driver of a strong opening quarter; the company posted record Q1 EBITDA of $307m and net profit of $210m, up 20.7 per cent year-on-year, and the Americana partnership is designed to accelerate that momentum, feeding directly into The Hub by ADNOC, the destination-led concept set to reach 30 locations in the UAE by 2030.
Both sides frame the move as a chance to turn fuel and mobility stops into genuine destinations. ADNOC Distribution’s CEO, engineer Bader Saeed Al Lamki, casts it as another step in the company’s push to grow non-fuel retail, stating that pairing its network and customer reach with Americana’s globally recognised brands creates more accessible, integrated experiences for millions of customers across the three markets, while building a diversified, future-ready retail business that delivers long-term value for shareholders and communities alike. Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of Americana Restaurants, said the tie-up lets the group take its iconic brands and operational know-how to every high-traffic touchpoint, transforming what were once simple refuelling stops into lively spaces for trusted food and hospitality on the go — and, in his view, setting a new regional benchmark for integrated dining and mobility.
We sat down with Klaas Mantel, chief operating officer of ADNOC Distribution, to talk through what the partnership brings together, how it will roll out, and why the rise of EV charging makes a great cup of coffee more valuable than ever.
What does the partnership with Americana actually bring together, and why is it the right fit?
There are really three ingredients. The first is the scale we have in terms of network footprint, we’re rolling this out across up to 200 locations in three countries: Egypt, Saudi Arabia and of course the UAE.
The second is our customer base. And the third is the operating expertise that Americana brings. When you combine those three, you have what we genuinely hope will be a very successful partnership.
It’s being rolled out across Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the UAE. In this phased rollout, what should we expect over the coming months?
It’s location by location. We look at each site and ask what the needs of the customers there actually are, and what offer fits best. That’s where we combine the customer insights we have, from our loyalty programme and more broadly, with the network planning expertise Americana brings. Then we decide what works best: is it chicken, is it pizza, or is it Lebanese food? So we’re getting it right station by station, trade area by trade area.
When will we see the first food and beverage concepts open under the agreement?
We’ll open the first ones in the next few months under this new agreement. After that, there are up to 200 outlets in the planning. It takes time, of course, it’s a phased rollout, country by country, but we’re about to start.
This sits inside a broader pivot in food and beverage retail. What’s the strategic shift you’re making?
These are big customer numbers, and customers have different needs when they’re on the move. The car needs fuel, yes, but the customer also wants to buy some food, grab a coffee or go to the washroom. Petrol stations used to be a petrol station with a shop and a car wash. What ADNOC Distribution is doing is flipping that around. We’re moving to multiple destination offers, plus energy. The energy can be fuel or EV. The destination offers can be a quick service restaurant, a supermarket, our own ADNOC Oasis café, and car care services. So we’re changing the concept from “fuel plus something” to “many things, plus energy”. That’s the strategic shift, and the Americana partnership is a big part of it.
How does the partnership feed into The Hub by ADNOC?
The Hub is probably the most visual manifestation of our new strategy. It’s 30 hubs by 2030, generating $30m in incremental EBITDA. These are true destination offers — there are five or 10, or even more things you can do there, and of course, you can get energy for the car as well.
We now have a new portfolio of 12 brands that cover different parts of the market, and it’s our role to place those brands like Lego pieces, putting each one where we believe it serves the needs of the community best.
You’ve made a strong point about the synergy with EV. Why does electrification make this partnership more valuable?
A key part of our future-back strategy is EV. We’re building big hubs on the highways so people can safely leave home in an EV knowing where they can charge. Now, most people are in a hurry; they’re on the way home, so today, about a quarter of customers buy something when they fill up with fuel. With EV, that more than doubles. Almost half of the people buy something, because an EV stop is 20 to 30 minutes. You plug in, and there’s nothing else to do; you’re just waiting while the car charges. That’s exactly where the synergy with Americana comes in. When people plan where to charge, they increasingly look at what else they can do with that time and what other missions they can complete. The Americana portfolio is uniquely complementary to that, and to our leading role in e-mobility in the country.
Loyalty is clearly part of the equation. How does it support an offer like this?
There are two parts to it. One is rewarding customers for the frequency of their visits. Every time you come, you collect points, and we reward you with redemption options. The second, increasingly, is personalisation. Based on your purchase history, we look at what we think you might be interested in, and we give you a special offer to try something new or to reward your custom. It’s what we call hyper-personalisation — really treating the customer as an individual and meeting their needs in the best way. That insight is exactly what helps us decide which offer fits which location.
Non-fuel retail was a major contributor to a strong Q1. How does the partnership build on that?
It’s been a strong quarter, and we’re very proud of it, the gross profit numbers, the non-fuel retail numbers, and above all, the safety and serving the nation during a time of disruption. Our business has strong momentum across all aspects, not just retail but also B2B, LPG and lubricants, and the country’s momentum is carrying us with it. But non-fuel retail is a big area of focus, and partnerships like this one with Americana, alongside The Hub, are how we keep driving it. It sets us up well for the rest of the year.
Finally, what gives ADNOC Distribution its edge as you take this forward?
Firstly, customer centricity, we genuinely look at how the market is evolving and build around it. Secondly, the future-back strategy I mentioned: we position ourselves for where mobility is heading, not just where it is today. And underpinning all of it is teamwork. I’m a team player; I believe we do this together, the operations team, the network planning team, the engineers, the marketers, all of us together for the customer. That’s how we’re leading this business, and it’s how we’ll make this partnership work.
