News

Pie Face to open 100 stores in Middle East

October 17, 2013

Pie Face, an Australian-based micro-bakery cafe chain specializing in sweet and savory pies with seven Pie Face stores in Manhattan, will expand its operations into the Middle East. It signed a major agreement with the hospitality division of Landmark Group, a Dubai-based retail and hospitality conglomerate with operations in retail, hospitality, leisure, health and wellness, according to a company press release.

Foodmark, a division of Landmark Hospitality, has committed to opening a minimum of 100 Pie Face stores in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar over the next 10 years. A number of commissaries will also be opened, to support specialist production of Pie Face products for the Middle East.

Pie Face entered its first foreign market, the U.S., in early 2012, when it launched in Manhattan. It was featured on Late Night with David Letterman and attracted $15 million for its Manhattan roll out from Steve Wynn, the founder and CEO of Wynn Resorts.

Pie Face recently entered the New Zealand market with partners Julian Field and Jared Palmer, who opened their first store in Auckland Sept. 1 and are committed to 62 Pie Face stores across the North and South Islands over the next 10 years.

The company is also in discussions with potential partners in Indonesia, Japan, India and Canada.

Pie Face retained Univest Consultancy Group W.L.L, a global advisory firm based in Kuwait, to advise on Pie Face's entry into the Middle East and conduct the search for the most suitable partners for the region. Landmark was selected due to its strong track record in retailing in the region, its commitment to growing the region's food and beverage sector, and its enthusiasm for the Pie Face brand and business model, said Wayne Homschek, co-Founder and CEO of Pie Face.

"We are excited that our work with Univest has led us to be in partnership with a group such as Landmark Group in this region. The group has a 40-year track record in the Middle East, is the largest retail tenant in the region with over 22 million square feet of retail space and over 45,000 employees and has a dedicated and experienced foodservices team."

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