Emarat Al Wadi, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE
Emarat, Al Wadi is located in the Al Ashish Area, on the busy highway between Dubai and Ras Al Khaimah in the United Arab Emirates.
Emarat’s food convenience Bakeria has established itself with the largest known selection of freshly baked goods and sandwiches among its competitors. It is frequently noted that Bakeria displays are the most abundant and colourful with a wide choice of baked goods, sweets, and sandwiches.
Company and Brand Overview
Emirates Petroleum Company P.J.S.C., Emarat, was established in 1981 in the United Arab Emirates as a modern fuel services company that comprises commercial fuel and petrol products, terminaling and distribution facilities, and a highly customer-oriented network of service stations.
We have grown to become an oil and gas provider of choice for the public and private sectors, including large corporations, aviation industries, national security bodies, and key entities that form the foundations of the nation’s infrastructure.
Over the years, our core focus has been to deliver high-quality products at great value and with a warm welcome. Our service stations have become synonymous with speed, efficiency, and friendliness, in addition to superb coffee and food offerings.
In 2004 Emarat was the first in the market to add a comprehensive in-store food & beverage concept. BAKERIA with its coffee brand Café Arabicca. Ever since, Emarat became known for an abundant and rich display of food and barista-made coffee in a 24/7 environment across the UAE.
Across 53 Bakeria stores, Emarat has now served millions of cups of barista-made coffee every year to the busy and industrious citizens and residents of the UAE. The food-to-beverage ratio being almost 50/50 shows that both our food and coffee are a staple of the community.
120 of our service stations offer a convenience store with a fresh food display and self-service coffee machines from leading and cherished coffee brands.
Store Photos
Store and Offer Overview
The store located on a busy highway road aims to offer fuel and convenience to the commuters and travelers going to and from Ras Al Khaimah towards Sharjah, Dubai and UAE’s Capital City.
Emarat’s food convenience Bakeria has established itself with the largest known selection of freshly baked goods and sandwiches among its competitors.
- Main trading hours here are the morning commute/school run as well as the after-school and evening commute.
- The morning hours are peak business hours with the top selling and signature items being Barista made coffees, freshly baked croissants, puffs, and sandwiches made to order.
- The French butter croissants and additive-free, multi-sourdough sandwiches as well as protein wraps are the most popular of the range.
The top selling items in food are our high-quality butter croissant selection we carefully source from a French producer, our selection of high hydration and additive-free multigrain sourdough sandwiches, and the high protein low carb wraps.
All our sandwiches are freshly made to order, perfect for both lunch and dinner. We’re also proud to partner with Pinza, a UAE pioneer, which crafts additive-free sourdough pizza, exclusively for Emarat.
Layout and Retail Environment
Emarat has gone through major brand uplifts in the most recent past and ensured that the new c-store follows a more customer focused approach.
The majority of the network is undergoing extensive refurbishment across the legacy sites and new sites. Post uplift we observe a much larger conversion from forecourt reaffirming the efforts made.
The key principle was to blend both qualitative and quantitative insights, combined with sales data to deliver the best solutions.
- The store has a large window front, flooding the store with daylight.
- The number of shelves from previous had been reduced both in height and numbers to equalize the value of space and to offer clear sightlines, angles and access.
With the new layout changes, customer engagement with store display units increased from just 10% to an impressive 65%, significantly boosting basket size and conversion rates in both new and refurbished stations.
Trackernomics, by integrating CCTV, sales data, and planogram information, played a key role in analyzing customer behavior and optimizing the use of merchandisable space.
Customer Experience
At Emarat, customers cherish the personable experience they’ve valued since childhood. Now, they’re passing on this tradition, bringing their children to the Bakeria counter to enjoy the same beloved snacks they grew up with.
It is frequently noted that Bakeria displays are the most abundant and colorful with a wide choice of baked goods, sweets, and sandwiches. The go-to destination for their daily big cup of coffee. With a 40% year-on-year growth in this category, Emarat’s unwavering commitment to quality and value is not only attracting new customers but also winning over those from competitors.
Our staff members are trained to recognize customers again even on their second visit and make a conscious effort to remember their preferences, likes, and dislikes.
We aim to learn preferences and welcome customers back as if it is their home. The personal level on which our team interacts with our customers is often highlighted both online and offline.
Few guiding pillars we are proud of and that we act on.
Multiethnic menu
Running a successful menu in a multicultural country like the UAE requires us answering to demands of many different nationalities. Our menu offers Arabic baked goods for the palate of the many Levantine and Middle eastern customers, Asian menu items for our customers from India and Pakistan, International cuisine such as typical sandwiches, baps and pizza and the large selection of onsite baked viennoiseries.
Authenticity – one size never fits all
In our continuous quest, we are staying true to each category meaning we develop the taste profile of the food product to what people would know and expect from “home”. For example, our Chili chicken paratha has been said to “catapult people back in their childhood”. It is not for everyone but stays true to its heritage and ensures people feel understood and are happy to come back.
Our selection of Arabic baked goods is crafted in collaboration with some of the most renowned Arabic bakeries in the market, exclusively for Emarat. These delicious offerings keep our customers coming back daily for their favorite snacks and meals.
Our puff pastries and croissants are strictly sourced from French producers and have 100% butter, no margarine or seed oils.
Emarat’s Loyalty Program, EmCan
EmCan goes beyond rewards and loyalty points.
It’s a program that plays a big role in our overall operational and customer excellence success. It gives us access to customer data that allows for more tailored targeting. We are able to build promotions and launch new products by understanding our persona preference and behavior.
It also allows us to track our customer’s journey and ensure the best experience as they interact with Bakeria. We know our customer better through it and understand their needs which maximizes their customer experience and gives way for great operational excellence.
With EmCan, Emarat has launched a point-based loyalty scheme that offers an unparalleled generous reward system that further enhances the conversion from single visits to generating lifetime customers.
Operational Excellence
Secret Sauce: Customer-Centric Approach
Our secret magic lies in our customer-centric approach. We actively listen to our customers, understand their needs, and go above and beyond to meet and exceed their expectations.
- This dedication to customer satisfaction is what truly sets us apart from the competition. The store in charge of Bakeria has an active role in the planogram on where they can in addition to the core range, choose from our over 100 recipes in the system. They merchandise the most in demand products and have frequent conversations with the customers on site.
Additionally, we collect feedback from online channels and the dedicated hotline at the Head Office.
Training & Team
Every new team member embarks on a 14-day comprehensive training program, conducted offsite in our fully equipped training academy. The program blends classroom instruction with hands-on practical sessions, ensuring a well-rounded learning experience
- Emarat has been developing and evolving its food convenience offerings since creating the brand in the year 2003. The unique setup compared to the competition is a dedicated team of food and beverage professionals.
This team of food preparation and barista trainers plays a crucial role in ensuring consistency and excellence across all our locations.
Secret Sauce: Customer-Centric Approach
Our secret magic lies in our customer-centric approach. We actively listen to our customers, understand their needs, and go above and beyond to meet and exceed their expectations.
- This dedication to customer satisfaction is what truly sets us apart from the competition.
- The store in charge of Bakeria has an active role in the planogram on where they can in addition to the core range, choose from our over 100 recipes in the system.
- They merchandise the most in demand products and have frequent conversations with the customers on site.
Additionally, we collect feedback from online channels and the dedicated hotline at the Head Office.
Process Efficiency – unapologetic and bold
Efficiency is key to our success.
We have streamlined our processes to ensure that we operate smoothly and effectively. From inventory management to customer service protocols, every aspect of our operation is optimized to maximize productivity.
Unlike some in the industry who focus strictly on minimizing wastage, we believe in providing our customers with a rich and abundant display of freshly baked and prepared food, available 24/7. We also take careful steps to manage surplus ingredients responsibly, ensuring that our commitment to quality never comes at the cost of sustainability.
This in combination with the low shelf life of display time ensures our customers always have access to the freshest products available.
The Setup – no shortcuts
Bakeria is equipped with the newest Rational self-cooking centers, Middleby Turbochef Rapid cook ovens, La Marzocco coffee equipment to name but a few of the many tools we have placed at the well-trained team’s disposal to deliver excellent food and beverage products to our customers daily.
Overall Performance
Bakeria & Café Arabicca have a combined annual growth of over 20%. Both are driven by network expansion and steadily increasing the forecourt conversion with the help of our loyalty app and strong onsite promotions and food and beverage combos.
The chosen store “Al Wadi” has seen a 4.38% increase year on year with an average of 253 visitors purchasing F&B a day.
Gross profit contribution of food service as a percentage of retail/site sales = 59.87%
Average daily transaction count 1009 total (store 756 and foodservice 253).
In summary, our success is driven by our exceptional team, robust training programs led by our dedicated barista and food trainers, efficient processes, advanced technology, and innovative initiatives. Emarat’s continuous development since its inception, coupled with our recognition programs and customer-centric approach, ensures that our “foodvenience” store not only meets but exceeds customer expectations, making us a leader in the industry.
‘The Best Foodvenience Store in the World’ 2024