IMAGE: Duck Donuts
The made-to-order donut franchise has opened its first store in the UAE.
Duck Donuts, known for its made-to-order donuts, has debuted its popular U.S. brand in Dubai with the grand opening of a flagship store on September 10.
Russ Digilio, CEO of Duck Donuts Franchising Company (DDFC), Betsy Ham, COO of DDFC, and Mohammed Albaqami, Duck Donuts’ UAE franchise owner, celebrated the opening with a commemorative ribbon-cutting ceremony.
“We are delighted to bring Duck Donuts to the beautiful city of Dubai and expand our brand to a city that demonstrates a strong enjoyment for coffee and sweets,” said DiGilio. “Having a presence in an international hub for tourism such as Dubai, will open up opportunities as we continue to strategically grow and develop the brand in international areas of interest.”
To date, Duck Donuts has the majority of its restaurants in the U.S. (97), with this Dubai location being one of the first international sites. The brand also has 145 additional units in its development pipeline, distributed across 26 states and four countries.
The Dubai location is situated at R02A Silverene Tower, in the Dubai Marina. This is the first location to come from Albaqami’s master franchise agreement signed in October 2019, which includes five units in the UAE across the next 10 years, on top of further sub-franchising developments.
“This is a project my team and I have been working on for over a year, and despite all the challenges we have faced as a result of COVID-19, I am beyond excited to introduce the UAE to the Duck Donuts’ made-to-order concept,” said Albaqami. “Pairing fresh and delicious donuts with the unique experience of customizing and watching your donut being made from scratch to finish, is the perfect combination of food and fun for all ages. I am very happy to be bringing the brand 7,000 miles from its origins to offer the UAE a taste of the Outer Banks of North Carolina.”
The 2,200 square foot retail space replicates Duck Donuts’ beach theming, and includes limited indoor seating. It also includes a viewing area where customers can watch as their donuts are made fresh.
