Dubai might soon become the first city in the world to have kitchenless buildings, driven by the booming food delivery and e-commerce sectors.
Mohamed Ali Alabbar, the founder of Noon, a leading e-commerce platform, has confirmed that plans for such buildings in Dubai are already in progress. “We’ve already designed a few,” he stated.
Alabbar explained how online food delivery is changing eating habits. “We could sell apartments without kitchens soon. Food orders are growing rapidly. These days, one family member may want Chinese, another a cheeseburger, and someone else Mexican,” said the Dubai-based billionaire.
The trend of food delivery has seen tremendous growth, especially after the pandemic. Noon, launched in 2017 with a $1 billion investment, has become one of the UAE’s top digital platforms, competing directly with global players like Amazon.
Alabbar predicts that Noon Food will dominate the UAE market in the next three to six months. “Anyone competing with us will lose. We operate very differently. We’re deeply passionate about every business we run, always staying aggressive,” he said.
He added, “Our approach is simple everything is on the table. Dubai is our hometown, and we don’t take that lightly. In every venture, we prioritize our country, driven by a sense of responsibility to our ruler and society.”
The Noon and Emaar founder also emphasized his nationalist mindset, stating, “We owe it to our people and nation to make our companies, like Noon and Emaar, global examples of success.”
Government Policies as a Growth Driver
Alabbar credited the UAE and Dubai governments for their business-friendly policies, which he believes are key to fostering growth. “The UAE and Dubai governments make all of us succeed. They understand global trends and create policies accordingly,” he said.
According to Alabbar, large companies like Noon and Emaar have a responsibility to their nation, with success coming from compliance with rules, especially anti-competition laws.
In closing, Alabbar advised foreign companies to focus on their home markets in the US or Europe while highlighting how Dubai’s open market structure promotes healthy competition.
“We do everything with love,” he concluded, showing appreciation for the forward-thinking leadership shaping the UAE’s business environment.
