The global flavoured fries brand Potato Corner has officially opened its first and flagship branch at the Ibn Battuta Mall in Dubai on November 30, in time for the upcoming 51st National Day Celebrations in the UAE.
The branch is strategically located at the food court right beside the Ibn Battuta Metro and bus station, making it easily accessible for millions of residents in Dubai and the rest of the UAE to grab a bite of what has been coined as the ‘World’s Best Flavoured Fries’ since its inception in 1992 – including its best sellers like Barbeque, Chili Barbecue, Cheese, and Sour Cream flavours.
Potato Corner’s first-ever branch drew in thousands of UAE residents at the newly-opened store at Ibn Battuta Mall, marking its first entry in the UAE, 9th in the Middle East, and 1,389th store worldwide as it has expanded for over 30 years. The global fries brand’s entry to the UAE comes as the country is rife for market expansion, with its F&B sector expected to grow at an average of 6 per cent annually over the period till 2023.
Its latest entry to the UAE is a franchise that’s owned by a seasoned Filipino entrepreneur and restauranteur, Rolly Brucales. To date, nearly 80 per cent of Potato Corner stores around the world and even in the Philippines are run by franchisees like Brucales.
“Whenever I ask Filipinos what flavoured fries they miss the most – the majority of them often say Potato Corner. That is why I explored how we can bring the Philippines’ most popular brand here in the UAE. And now, over 10 million residents can now savour the authentic flavoured fries that everyone has been craving for right here in Dubai,” said Brucales.
The homegrown Filipino flavoured fries brand has also garnered several accolades through the years, including the Philippines’ Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) and Philippine Franchise Association’s (PFA) ‘Best Franchisee of the Year’ for three consecutive years as well as the Franchisee Excellence Hall of Fame Award and the Global Filipino Franchise Award in 2003 and 2017, respectively.
For his part, Raymond Opina, International Business Development Manager for Canada, Europe and Middle East of Potato Corner, is optimistic that UAE, specifically Dubai, is a great place to be especially after the emirate has been named among the top five destinations for food lovers in the recent Travellers’ Choice Awards.
“The UAE is a strategic market to tap into as you’re not only serving residents there – its position as a global tourism hub magnifies our potential reach for the world to enjoy the Philippines’ flavoured fries that has taken the world by storm,” said Opina.
UAE is the 205th international franchise of Potato Corner after it went abroad across South East Asia back in 2007. Since then, the franchise has grown and expanded globally including the USA, Australia, Thailand, Panama, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia, Kuwait, Myanmar, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Canada.
