Taco Bell returns to UAE after 14 years as Americana plans GCC expansion

Dubai: Taco Bell is returning to the UAE, with Americana Restaurants set to bring the Mexican-inspired fast-food brand back to the market as the first step in a phased GCC expansion.

The comeback comes 14 years after Taco Bell previously left the UAE. Americana Restaurants said it has signed an exclusive development agreement with Taco Bell UK and Europe Ltd, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, to launch and develop the brand in the UAE, with plans to expand into additional GCC countries.

The UAE will be the first market under the new partnership to get Taco Bell, before the brand is rolled out into other GCC markets in phases.

Americana said the UAE was a natural starting point because of its diverse customer base, vibrant food culture and appetite for new dining concepts.

Mohamed Alabbar, Chairman of the Board of Americana Restaurants, described Taco Bell as “the coolest brand in its category”, saying the brand was aimed at a generation looking for flavour, value and a distinctive identity.

“Young people in our region are curious and adventurous so brands should keep surprising them,” Alabbar said.

“Dubai adopts what’s bold and tells the world about it. We will start here, get it right, and scale Taco Bell across the UAE and the GCC.”

The company has not announced specific UAE restaurant locations or an opening date in the announcement.

For Americana, the deal also marks an expansion into the Mexican-inspired quick-service restaurant category.

The company already operates a portfolio of international restaurant brands across the Middle East, North Africa and Kazakhstan, including KFC, Pizza Hut, Hardee’s, Krispy Kreme, Costa Coffee and Baskin Robbins.

The partnership builds on Americana’s decades-long relationship with Yum! Brands, which includes its operation of KFC and Pizza Hut across the region.

Americana said Taco Bell will add something different to its portfolio, pointing to the brand’s focus on Mexican-inspired flavours, menu innovation and its cultural identity.

Taco Bell has more than 9,000 restaurants worldwide, including more than 1,200 restaurants across 40 markets outside the US, according to the companies.

Sean Tresvant, Chief Executive Officer of Taco Bell, said the brand was looking to build on its international growth by connecting with a new generation of customers in the UAE.

“For more than 64 years, Taco Bell has built a brand that consumers love - bold, distinctive, culturally relevant - and we're just getting started,” Tresvant said.

“We're excited to continue our strong international momentum in the UAE, to connect with a new generation of fans, and bring the creativity, innovation and unmistakable Taco Bell experience that only our brand can deliver.”

The UAE launch is intended to be the beginning rather than the end of the expansion.

Americana and Taco Bell plan to take the brand into additional GCC markets through a phased rollout, although the announcement does not specify which countries will follow the UAE or when those launches will take place.

Ankush Tuli, Managing Director of Taco Bell International, said the company viewed the UAE as an important growth opportunity.

“The UAE represents an exciting growth opportunity for Taco Bell, and we could not have asked for a stronger partner than Americana Restaurants,” Tuli said.

He added that Americana’s operational experience and track record of growing restaurant brands gave Taco Bell confidence as the two companies develop the brand in the market.

The company said the partnership reflects its strategy of expanding its offering with brands that bring “something new and distinctive” to the region, while focusing on long-term growth and customer experience.