Dubai: More than a hundred volunteers let out a loud cheer yesterday at the Dubai Outlet Mall when the Guinness World Records representative announced that Dubai had broken a record.
The record for the longest line of sandwiches was broken when volunteers prepared a long, meandering line of sandwiches that stretched over 2.6 kilometres around the mall. Italy was the holder of that record last year, but Dubai yesterday beat it by 667 meters.
In pictures: Record breakers in the UAE
"It has met all the record-breaking requirements," said Liz Smith, adjudications executive of Guinness World Records. The requirement was that the sandwiches should touch each and that each one has to be buttered (or in this case slathered with spreadable Kraft cheese).
The executive had to go round the mall following two people wearing helmets and measuring the line of 10,000 sandwiches with a large retractable construction measuring tape. She then went into a huddle with the two as they punched in the numbers on a calculator.
The line of sandwiches measured exactly 2,667.13 metres and when Smith announced the world record was broken, there was wild joy among the volunteers who had been working on the line since 8.30 in the morning.
Giving back
The sandwich line record was beaten with the help of 150 volunteers from Kraft Foods which was the organiser of the event. It took half a tonne of cream cheese spread, 10,000 baguettes and nearly 900 kilograms of tomatoes, cucumbers and olives to create the sandwich chain. Sean Murphy, general manager of Kraft Foods said the recording-breaking event is to highlight that many people still do not have a full meal. It is part of the company's efforts to give back to the community this week.
The sandwiches will be packed and distributed to 5,000 workers in the Sonapur, Al Quoz and Jebel Ali labour accommodations, said Mohammad Al Zarouni, manager of the Red Crescent in Dubai. The sandwiches will be packed with an Oreo packet and a chocolate bar.
Smith said the world record for the largest (single) sandwich was beaten by the US in 2005.
