Recent news
Chipotle introduces its real ingredients to kuwait
ShapeIn partnership with the Alshaya Group, a leading international franchise retail operator, Chipotle’s first location in the Middle East opened in Kuwait The new restaurant debuts the company’s latest design format and offers a variety of in-restaurant ordering experiences that help introduce Chipotle’s menu offerings to new guests in the region Alshaya Group will open the first Chipotle location in Dubai at The Beach – JBR this October, with a total of four new restaurants anticipated in 2024 Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG) opened its first location in Kuwait in partnership with leading international franchise retail operator Alshaya Group. Since the opening, the restaurant’s performance has exceeded our benchmarks and continues to deliver strong results. Chipotle’s location in The Avenues - Kuwait marks the first time the company has entered a new country in over 10 years. Chipotle is expected to open its first Dubai restaurant this October at The Beach - JBR in partnership with Merex Investment, a joint venture between Dubai Holding and Brookfield Asset Management. “In partnership with Alshaya Group, we worked tirelessly to ensure that we delivered an exceptional first impression in Kuwait with our freshly prepared menu of real ingredients and we are encouraged by the early results,” said Chief Business Development Officer Nate Lawton. “Together, we’ll continue to gather insights on regional preferences and adapt accordingly as we grow our presence in the region and expand upon our mission to Cultivate a Better World.” John Hadden, Chief Executive Officer, Alshaya Group, said: “Consumers have long awaited Chipotle’s arrival here in the Middle East and the feedback we’ve received so far has confirmed that we’re delivering the same delicious culinary experience that guests have had in their U.S. locations. We’re proud to have introduced this popular American restaurant to Kuwait, and we’re looking forward to Dubai later this year as the first locations in our exclusive partnership with Chipotle.” Expanding Access To simplify its ordering experience for new guests, the Kuwait restaurant in The Avenues offers three ordering methods: Guests can order their craveable burritos, bowls, tacos, and salads in traditional Chipotle fashion by progressing through the front makeline and ordering ingredient by ingredient. The Kuwait restaurant features a kiosk ordering system that executes pick-up orders and enables menu exploration for first-time guests. Tables at the restaurant feature QR codes that drive guests to download the Alshaya Chipotle mobile app for pick-up orders. This method is especially convenient for large families ordering multiple entrees. As a digital-only menu item, guests can order a quesadilla via the kiosk or mobile app. Unveiling a New Design The new location in Kuwait is the first Chipotle restaurant featuring the company’s all new design format. Over the past several years, Chipotle’s development team has been building out concepts that deploy new materials, textures, and artwork to amplify the company’s commitment to Food with Integrity while paying homage to historic designs. New elements include: Wood Tile Floor: replacing Chipotle’s traditional concrete floor, it fills the restaurant with warmth and rich patterns. Corten Art Wall: the legacy architectural material is transformed into an elevated focal wall that heroes the iconic Chipotle pepper. Corten Ceiling Element: this large-scale metal ceiling and lighting element creates a layer of visual richness throughout the space. New Wall Finishes: updated surfaces and artisan materials are more textural and help impart a feeling of freshness. Growing Chipotle’s International Presence In July 2023, Chipotle signed its first-ever development agreement to open restaurants in partnership with the Alshaya Group. Chipotle and Alshaya plan to open the first Chipotle location in Dubai later this year. Chipotle's existing international portfolio of owned and operated restaurants includes 41 locations in Canada; 19 in the United Kingdom; six locations in France; and two in Germany. In North America, the company currently owns and operates over 3,400 restaurants and is targeting 8 to 10% growth per year for the foreseeable future with at least 80% including a Chipotlane. *M2R Group - The Avenues 2022 Report.
Read moreAura wins accolades at the International Loyalty Awards
Winner of Best GLOBAL Loyalty Programme of the Year in the Food Retail and Non-food retail category Aura, Alshaya Group’s customer loyalty programme that rewards members across 70+ global brands, was recently recognised at the 2024 International Loyalty Awards as the Best Loyalty Programme of the Year - Food Retail and Non-food retail category. The International Loyalty Awards celebrates innovative approaches and effective strategies within the loyalty programme industry. This year, saw several global loyalty programmes compete across various categories. Among them, Aura a regional app-first loyalty programme emerged victorious, claiming an award. Since its launch in 2022, Aura has garnered 8.2 million members in five countries including KSA, UAE, Kuwait, Qatar, and Bahrain with exceptional engagement of over 80% redemption rate. With a highly customer-centric approach, Aura has been designed to cater to diverse lifestyles and is recognised as one of the most downloaded loyalty apps in the Middle East region, with 1.75M downloads in 2023 alone. "Winning Best Loyalty Programme of the Year for Aura at the International Loyalty Awards is a tremendous honour," said John Hadden, CEO of Alshaya Group. "At Alshaya, we firmly believe that customer loyalty is the bedrock of any successful business. Aura embodies this principle by seamlessly integrating technology and personalisation to create an innovative programme that truly understands and caters to customer preferences.” From fashion to beauty, home furnishings to dining, members collect points every time they spend. Points can be used for future purchases or to access experiences such as a personalised gourmet treat, a bespoke shopping experience or a pampering beauty treatment. Aura members can earn and redeem points across their favourite brands, access a range of personalised shopping, dining, and lifestyle experiences, and receive priority notifications of promotions and sales events across a portfolio of popular brands that includes H&M, American Eagle, Mothercare, Victoria’s Secret, Shake Shack, P.F. Chang’s, The Cheesecake Factory, Bath & Body Works, Boots, M·A·C, The Body Shop, Pottery Barn, and West Elm. Customers in UAE can also redeem their Aura points at any Starbucks stores on all their Starbucks favourites. “Our purpose is to transform everyday interactions into rewarding experiences, by acknowledging our customers unique behaviour and giving back to them for being a part of Aura. This award is a powerful validation of our unwavering commitment to our customers and delivering exceptional experiences to them,” said Alshaya Group’s Director of Loyalty Nida Unas, on the win. Aura was also awarded the best new loyalty programme in GCC at the CX & Loyalty Awards MENA in 2023.
Read moreThe Starbucks Foundation and Alshaya Starbucks are committed to providing humanitarian aid in Gaza
The Starbucks Foundation and Alshaya Starbucks made a $3 million donation to World Central Kitchen for food aid; partners (employees) in the region are offering further support Starbucks has always been about more than coffee. We’re committed to contributing positively and supporting others who do so. In response to the great need for humanitarian aid in Gaza, we are donating to help provide food to people who are suffering. “We are heartbroken for all the people impacted by the situation in Gaza, and the many people at risk of hunger,” said Duncan Moir, president of Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa. The Starbucks Foundation and Alshaya Starbucks are supporting World Central Kitchen, a nonprofit whose work focuses on feeding crisis-impacted communities. World Central Kitchen has been a primary disaster relief partner of The Starbucks Foundation since 2019 and, with the support of The Starbucks Foundation, has spearheaded dozens of hunger relief operations, delivering aid to impacted communities in all corners of the globe, such as Lebanon and Morocco. As a result of ongoing conversations, The Starbucks Foundation and Alshaya Starbucks committed to providing the equivalent of 1 million meals to people in need in Gaza through a joint donation of $3 million to World Central Kitchen in March. To expand our support from the region, Alshaya Group and Starbucks EMEA have also launched a partner (employee) donation matching initiative aimed at raising additional funds for food aid in Gaza through World Central Kitchen. We grieve with World Central Kitchen’s team in Gaza and their families around the world. As the organization takes the time to reevaluate when its operations will resume in the region, our commitment remains unwavering. We will continue to stay close to World Central Kitchen to ensure they have the resources for their humanitarian mission to proceed. Mohammed Alshaya, Executive Chairman, Alshaya Group, said, “We are deeply saddened by the mass tragedy that is unfolding in Gaza, and our hearts are with all the people affected. We are committed to supporting our local communities and our partners and, inshallah, through these donations we will provide aid and relief to the people of Gaza.” The Starbucks Foundation is the company’s charitable giving arm that strives to positively impact people and communities by supporting nonprofit organizations in partnership with Starbucks partners, licensee partners and others. As one of Starbucks biggest and longest standing licensed partners across the world, Alshaya Group has operated Starbucks in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region since the opening of its first store in Kuwait in 1999. For more information on World Central Kitchen, please visit https://wck.org
Read moreIntroducing Alshaya
Make every occasion special with the Alshaya Card. Top it up to the value of your choice and enjoy your Alshaya experience. Read more
Partnerships bring in new shopping opportunities. Discover a range of partnerships you can enjoy in-store or online. Read more