Convenience store brand, 7-Eleven, has signed a deal to enter the UAE.
The first 7-Eleven Dubai store will open in September after a franchise partnership was signed with Seven Emirates Investment.
Khamis Al Sabousi, Seven Emirates Investment’s president, said the store will be the first of more than 820 stores planned for the region within 10 years.
In a joint statement with Dubai’s Department of Economic Development (DED), Al Sabousi said bringing a leading retailer like 7-Eleven to the region is part of his company’s efforts to develop existing supply chains, provide innovative nutritional solutions, and encourage young people to explore franchising as a business model.
“Franchising promotes growth of private businesses and helps ambitious youngsters achieve their goals, while ensuring their participation in the development of the retail sector,” he said.
Omar Bushahab, CEO of Business Registration and Licensing (BRL) sector at DED, added: “We are delighted to see Seven Emirates Investment taking off with the opening of the first 7-Eleven store set for September. It’s a critical step forward for Seven Emirates Investment, which also underlines the ease of doing business in Dubai and its successful economic policy on one hand and the confidence international companies have in the emirate on the other hand.”
7-Eleven already operates more than 56,000 stores in 16 countries.
