The first Joe & The Juice locations in Dubai will open in Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Design District and Galleria Mall Barsha
Danish brand Joe & The Juice is expanding to the UAE after signing a franchise agreement with Veda Inc and its subsidiary, Lavoya. The agreement will drive the opening of 10 stores in the next two years. Lavoya’s CEO Walid Hajj, who is responsible for bringing Lebanese brand Barbar and LA’s brand Dave’s Hot Chicken spoke about what his plans are for Joe & The Juice and why this contemporary and health-conscious coffee shop will be a hit for UAE’s F&B industry.
Hajj said: “Joe & the Juice offers a very unique offering that I believe is currently not something that you can find in the UAE. It is the cool local juice bar that offers healthy choices that are superbly delicious. From juices to coffees and amazing sandwiches, I know that our guests will be wowed. There is also a very strong work culture at Joe & The Juice that empowers our team to do whatever is necessary to make the guest experience second to none. Our team enjoys doing what they do and it will show.”
Joe & The Juice is popular across Europe and the US. Hajj believes that popularity will be replicated in the UAE. “The brand has been successful in its current markets for a reason, and we expect the same to happen in the UAE,” he said. “Joe & the Juice is a unique experience and the brand is very well recognised among the local population which will help launch it on the right path from day one. Our job is to ensure that we replicate the exact same experience a guest gets when walking into a Joe & the Juice in London, New York, Miami, or Copenhagen, in Dubai, and we are sure we will do that well.”
With 10 stores on the way, Hajj revealed exactly where some of the new outlets will be located. “We have three sites already committed and under construction. These three stores will be in Mall of the Emirates, Dubai Design District, and Galleria Mall in Al Barsha. These will be the launchpad for the brand in the region.”
According to Hajj, each of these locations is a flagship on its own. “We aim to showcase the brand well in these prime spots. The first three outlets are all corner locations that will show the brand at its potential and hopefully once we open our guests will see a state-of-the-art experience. In addition to these first three outlets, we have about five to six additional sites lined up for this year, which we hope to finalise soon.
As a company, Lavoya plans to operate several of its brands mainly in Saudi Arabia and Qatar in addition to the UAE. Hajj said: “We are about to launch Barbar in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Additionally, we should have Dave’s Hot Chicken open in Qatar ahead of the FIFA World Cup.
“Our exciting plans for 2022 include ending the year with 12 or 13 stores. Not a bad achievement for a company that just got started a few months ago. But with the help of our amazing team, we are eager to build something really special,” Hajj concluded.
