The president of Kitcherama, a UAE-based kitchen equipment manufacturer, is calling on Dubai’s Chamber of Commerce to gain support for local businesses.
Speaking at HOST, the biennial international hospitality exhibition held last month in Milan, Italy, Dr. Eng. Saleh Al Dibsawi said: “There is no support for local producers, we are forced to compete in an open market with huge corporations. We have appealed to the Chamber of Commerce but so far they have been unwilling to help.
Established in Sharjah in 1993, with a showroom and factory in both Dubai and Sharjah, Kitcherama was the only exhibitor from the UAE. Al Dibsawi added: “We have exhibited at Gulfood since 1999, but in 2013 we took the decision to exhibit abroad so as to expand our market reach outside of the Middle East and Africa.
“With many customers mistakingly believing we are distributors, we also needed to reinforce the fact that we are original manufacturers, and that we can work with clients to make original tailor-made machinery.”
Today, up to 70% of its business comes from the UAE, with the remainder exported to Africa, Kitcherama is keen to extend its reach, although Al Dibsawi is cautious of the saturated markets in Europe.
The company, which counts Burger King, Texas Fried Chicken, Subway and Americana – including KFC and Pizza Hut as clients, also regular attends exhibitions in Qatar, Kuwait, and Africa and will be returning to the Kitchen Equipment show in Sharjah later this year.
