2019 UAE Business Awards

18 MEA MARKETS / 2019 UAE Business Awards , Poké and Co Restaurant LLC Best Food & Beverage Start-Up Business 2019 Poké and Co Restaurant LLC is an innovative brand providing a unique take on a traditional Hawaiian dish. We profile the firm to find out more about how it is changing the UAE’s food and beverage market for the better. Feb19252 Originally created in 2016, Poké and Co came about after its owners were introduced to this Hawaiian staple on a trip abroad. The appeal of this fast casual while healthy concept, immediately inspired the team to begin thinking how they could bring this unique concept to the UAE market and eventually to the whole of the Middle East. Poké, the cuisine around which the firm’s concept is built, is essentially sushi in a bowl. This fresh healthy cuisine originated from Hawaii hundreds of years ago and features cubed-cut raw fish mixed in a bowl with rice, vegetables and flavourful toppings. A build- your-own approach allows customers to craft their own bowl with all of the fresh and healthy ingredients they like. With the spread of healthy eating and fast- casual restaurants, especially in the UAE, the Poké and Co team saw the opportunity for success. The menu is tailored to those who wish to eat great food and live healthy at an affordable price and also caters for all types of diets and food intolerances. As the Poké concept has caught on and is rapidly growing in the UAE, Poké and Co has rapidly expanded into multiple branches, offering the same fresh and inspired cuisine to a wider range of customers. Today, Poke & Co has four outlets in Dubai and covers 70% of Dubai target market. By having outlets in popular locations, the firm is able to increase its visibility and build connections with consumers. As a result of the firm’s innovative approach to food, its repeat customer percentage is very high as per reports supplied by third party delivery companies such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats. The firm’s brick and mortar restaurants pro- vide a premium dine-in experience delivered by the bright and natural interiors and relaxed atmosphere, this encourages customers to travel distances to come and try the food. Overall, Poké and Co is able to offer diners a unique experience which they cannot find elsewhere, driving them to return and to spread the word about the exceptional dishes they indulge in at Poké and Co. Seeking to offer guests a cutting-edge dining experience which exceeds their expectations, the brand has recently developed an app and a website ordering platform where customers can get their poke bowls delivered from or order for a takeaway so they would not have to wait in queues. Within these two platforms Poké and Co has created a loyalty program by which customers earn points with them every time they order. These points can then be used on subsequent orders in order to benefit from a discount. Within the app and the website cus- tomers are also able to track their order and get notified when their food is being prepared and when their food is on the way. In addition, once their order has been delivered they are notified with a message to give feedback on their order. This method is really helpful in always improving and keeping up with customer feedback and in addition ensuring customer satisfaction. It also ensures that the firm is ahead of emerging developments within today’s fast-moving restaurant market. Looking ahead, Poké and Co remains com- mitted to its focus on offering only the best fresh ingredients that fill diners up without slowing them down as it looks towards a bright future filled with exciting opportunities for further brand development and growth. As part of this growth the firm recently opened a delivery address in London, and as has plans to expand throughout the city over the years to come. Company: Poké and Co Restaurant LLC Contact: Khaled AbdelMageed Website: https://pokeandco.com/