Five Minutes With… Jim Moaddab, COO, Caramel Group

Jim Moaddab, COO at F&B specialist Caramel Group gives his insight into the company’s expansion plans and the UAE restaurant market.

UAE’s Bar And Restaurant Segment Becoming Too Overcrowded

Local restaurant chief warns the Emirates’ F&B market is being spread too thinly.

Dubai Ranks As World’s Second Biggest Retail Destination – Report

The emirate came closely behind London, and significantly ahead of New York, Moscow and Shanghai

Nakheel Awards Dhs160m Construction Contract For Ibn Battuta Hotel

The 372-room hotel is part of the developer’s 28,000 square metre expansion of the Ibn Battuta mall complex.

Nakheel Awards Dhs1.2bn Construction Contract For Nakheel Mall

UAE contractors United Engineering Construction and Actco General Contracting Company win contract to build the new complex, located in Palm Jumeirah.

Roberto Cavalli Approaches Bahrain’s Investcorp For Possible Investment

Founder-owned fashion firm Cavalli has for some time been looking for a partner or a buyer to bring in new funds.

Kuwait’s NREC Appoints RTKL As Designer For Abu Dhabi’s Stalled Reem Mall

The $1 billion mall will consist of 450 stores and 85 restaurants.

Doha Festival City Awards QAR1.65bn Main Mall Construction Contract

Gulf Contracting Company, in a joint venture with ALEC Qatar, won the contract for the mega project.

RAK Mall Launches UAE’s First In-Store Go-Karting Facility

The 10,000 sq ft drift go-karting circuit will be operated by Italian engineering company Augusta Re Consulting.

LuLu International Invests Dhs55m To Launch Galito’s Restaurant Chain in UAE

The franchise agreement includes plans to setup 15 restaurants in the UAE over the next four years.

UAE’s Lulu To Invest $200m On Halal-Only Hypermarkets In Malaysia

The supermarket chain plans to open five outlets across Malaysia in the next two years.

Muscat City Centre Malls To Launch VOX Cinemas In June

The move is part of mall operator Majid Al Futtaim’s $29.3 million redevelopment plan for Oman.

UAE’s Just Falafel To Open 57 New Outlets In Europe

The stores, located in Europe’s Benelux region, will be operated by Wadi Degla Holding.

Kuwait’s Americana Q1 Profit Rises 10.4%

The company, a franchise operator of restaurants including KFC and Pizza Hut, made $64.4 million in the first three months of 2014.

Aramex Partners With InPost For Middle East Parcel Locker Network

The JV will see parcel lockers for the collection of e-commerce purchases setup across the region.

Dubai’s Choithrams Inks Deal With British Retailer Tesco

Tesco frozen, dry grocery, organic food and FMCG products will available during the first stage of the rollout, the retailer said.

Giordano To Open 40 New Stores By 2015

The fashion retailer is planning to expand across locations in the Middle East, Eastern Europe and Central and Southern Asia.

Bahrain’s Investcorp To Acquire US-Based Totes Isotoner Corp

Investcorp said the acquisition would help Totes Isotoner expand its geographic footprint and product range.

Bloom Begins Abu Dhabi Marina Construction

The waterfront development includes 225 residential apartments and a 200 room five star hotel.

Saudi Retailer Alhokair Q4 Net Profit Climbs 40%

Profit climbed to SAR190.8 million ($50.9 million) in the quarter, the company said in a statement.

Saudi Savola Group Q1 Profit Rises 43%

The company made a profit of 423 million riyals in the first three months of 2014, up from 295 million riyals in the year-earlier period.

LuLu To Open Six New Hypermarkets In Malaysia

The Abu Dhabi-based group will invest around $200 million in its hypermarkets across Malaysia.

Saudi Arabia May Close Shops Early To Boost Employment

From early July, shops may be required to close at 9pm instead of midnight.

TPG/Abraaj In Exclusive Talks For Saudi Fast-Food Chain Kudu

Riyadh-based Kudu operates more than 200 restaurants in the Kingdom.

Oasis Centre May Include Cinemas In The Future – Director

The Landmark group hopes to have at least 10 Oasis Centre malls operational across the GCC by the end of 2015.

Dubai’s Marka Eyes Fashion, Retail Growth Across Gulf

Dubai-based Marka said it will introduce global franchises and brands to the Gulf, allowing it to build a customer base quickly.

Abu Dhabi Among Global Top 20 Cities For Mall Development

The UAE capital has 778,000 sq m of new retail space in its development pipeline, says CBRE.

Starwood, MAF Sign Deal To Open Westin, Le Meridien Hotels In Bahrain

Both the hotels are scheduled to open in July 2014.

Kuwait’s Americana Chairman Says Not Aware Of Potential Sale

Sources had said that Kuwait’s billionaire al-Kharafi family was looking to sell Americana and had hired bankers to explore a deal.

Saudi’s Jarir Q1 Net Up 11.3% Despite Slower Sales Growth

Jarir made 201.3 million riyals ($53.7 million) in the first three months of 2014.