26,000 sq ft store showcases extensive range of quality food products
Opening in conjunction with Dubai Shopping Festival on January 15
Dubai, UAE; January 14, 2009: The newly opened Dubai Marina Mall will unveil the Dubai Marina's largest supermarket, Waitrose on January 15, 2009, to coincide with the Dubai Shopping Festival 2009. Waitrose joins a list of high-profile retail brands in Dubai Marina Mall, a new shopping and leisure destination for residents in the Dubai Marina neighbourhood. The mall's retail mix brings to visitors a diverse range of shopping choices, coinciding with the Dubai Shopping Festival.
The 26,000 sq ft Waitrose store will showcase the brand's extensive range of quality food products. Located on the promenade level and nearby main car park entrances, the store is accessible and convenient for all mall visitors. Dubai Marina Mall has direct access from Sheikh Zayed Road through a purpose-built tunnel accessible just past exit 32, Jebel Ali bound. There is also direct access from Emaar Drive via the Jebel Ali bound lane.
Waitrose has entered into a licensing agreement with Fine Fare Food Market LLC to open the store in Dubai Marina Mall. The first debut for Waitrose store in UAE and outside UK was at The Dubai Mall in November, 2008.
Mr Ian Ferguson, General Manager, Dubai Marina Mall, said: "The Waitrose store at Dubai Marina Mall will offer a variety of choices that will suit the lifestyle needs of residents in Dubai Marina and surrounding areas. Waitrose has tremendous brand equity, and will appeal to a wide spectrum of shoppers. The opening of Waitrose, which adds to the mix of outlets already open, is a reflection of the Dubai Marina Mall's objective of bringing in as many unique shopping experiences as possible to the city."
He added: "The opening also coincides with the Dubai Shopping Festival, a period marked by high retail activity. The new store will offer a wide range of choices thus adding to the shopping buzz generated by the high-profile shopping and entertainment event that will attract thousands of visitors to Dubai during the month."
Waitrose at Dubai Marina Mall will offer an assortment of Waitrose branded products as well as locally sourced products to meet the needs of the Dubai cosmopolitan population. The product range includes fresh and frozen foods, delicatessen, cheese, fresh fish, meat, patisserie and hot food counters.
Considering local tastes and traditions, Waitrose at Dubai Marina Mall will only sell-certified Halal food in the main store arena. A fully-functional scratch bakery; interactive butchery and fishmongers and a market-style fresh fruit and vegetable area will underscore the Waitrose commitment to freshness. The store will also carry a selected range of John Lewis non-food products.
Located in Dubai Marina, one of Dubai's most dynamic lifestyle communities, Dubai Marina Mall is a modern shopping and lifestyle destination with a gross leasable area of 390,000 sq ft spread across four levels and featuring 160 stores tailored to the lifestyle and entertainment needs of the marina residents. For more information please visit www.dubaimarinamall.com.
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About Emaar Malls Group LLC:
Emaar Malls Group LLC, is the retail and shopping mall subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC, a leading property developer based in Dubai, and drives its diversification into shopping malls. This is in line with Emaar's Vision 2010 to become one of the most valuable companies in the world. Emaar has announced investments in shopping malls of over US$4 billion (AED 15 billion) with 10 million sq ft of retail property in operation or under development in the emerging markets of the Middle East, North Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and South Asia and is on target to become one of the largest developers of shopping malls in the world.
At the forefront of these developments is the flagship The Dubai Mall, one of the world's largest malls in the heart of the Downtown Burj Dubai. Now open, The Dubai Mall is the region's premier shopping, lifestyle and entertainment destination. Emaar Malls Group also operates two other malls in Dubai; Souk Al Bahar, an Arabesque shopping and entertainment development on The Old Town Island, and the Dubai Marina Mall, a lifestyle shopping mall for residents of the Dubai Marina community.
Internationally, Emaar Malls Group is actively planning or developing shopping centres in Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Turkey, Jordan and Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and continues to drive the company's expansion strategy on a global scale.
About Emaar Retail:
Emaar Retail is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emaar Malls Group LLC and is the vehicle for all retail operations. Emaar Retail is developing a portfolio of brands in key growth markets and is strategically building new alliances, joint ventures, franchises and licenses for all mall developments under the Emaar Malls Group umbrella.
Emaar Retail also manages the business operations for The Dubai mall's leisure and entertainment brands including KidZania®, SEGA Republic®, the Olympic-sized 'Dubai Ice Rink' and Dubai Aquarium & Discovery Centre. Emaar Retail has also entered into a joint-venture with Cathay Organisation in Singapore, to form Reel Entertainment to develop cinemas across the region including flagship 22-screen Cineplex at The Dubai Mall.
Emaar Retail was established to drive Emaar Malls Group's developments in key emerging markets across the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Sub-Continent through creating the right retail mix for the various markets.
About Emaar Properties PJSC:
Emaar Properties PJSC is one of the world's largest property development companies and is rapidly evolving to become a global provider of premier lifestyles. Emaar Properties, which has a strong presence in 36 global markets, has expanded into shopping malls in line with its Vision 2010 to become one of the most valuable companies in the world through a two-pronged approach of geographic expansion and business segmentation. For more information visit www.emaar.com.
For further information, please contact:
Kelly Home / Roisin Lillis
ASDA'A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: (+971 4) 334 4550
E-mail: k.home@asdaa.com, r.lillis@asdaa.com
© Press Release 2009
