British supermarket Waitrose has opened a store in Khalifa City in Abu Dhabi, marking its 17th store in the UAE.
Waitrose UAE is expanding in Abu Dhabi through the emirate’s Musataha agreement arrangements, which allows for investment across various sectors, including commercial, retail, healthcare, education, and agriculture. Musataha agreements grant rights to develop plots of land for a defined period, allowing companies to grow in the emirate. Abu Dhabi Investment Office manages and facilitates investment opportunities through Musataha agreements in collaboration with other Abu Dhabi government entities.
Raed Al Mohtar, Acting Head of Musataha Partnerships at Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), said: “Khalifa City Community Market branded as Waitrose UAE’s new Khalifa City branch is a great addition to the community and a great example of how ADIO through Musataha agreements can effectively support companies that need land to invest and expand in Abu Dhabi. These agreements help investors unlock investment opportunities and benefit from the emirate’s public land, enhancing quality of life for residents while also offering long-term opportunities for investors. ADIO congratulates the Waitrose UAE team on their continued success in the capital. It is exciting to see much Abu Dhabi-grown produce available in-store, much of which is supplied by ADIO’s AgTech partners, demonstrating the integrated nature of the emirate’s ecosystem.”
Sunil Kumar, CEO of Fine Fare Food UAE, said: “We are thrilled to be opening a store in such a popular community-centric residential area in the UAE’s capital. The opening reinforces the company’s ethos of always giving more than it takes – to our customers, communities, and each other. We are all about sharing our love for food, as trusted purveyors of responsibly-sourced products, and very much look forward to welcoming residents and visitors to the Khalifa City branch.”
Waitrose & Partners has 331 shops in England, Scotland, Wales and the Channel Islands and was formed in 1904 in London. It exports products to more than 50 countries worldwide and operates in the UAE in the Middle East.
