Qatari entrepreneur-owned cafeteria Fouj will open a new branch next week, in the Qatar Shell offices.
The venture is a result of Qatar Development Bank (QDB) and Qatar Shell’s ‘SME Business Opportunity’ initiative, helped to small and medium enterprises (SMEs).
As part of a nationwide strategy to support local SMEs, Fouj Café won Doha office catering tender and signed a contract with Qatar Shell, in partnership with QDB, to provide food and beverage services for more than 700 employees. In addition, Fouj Café will also provide catering for Shell events.
Fouj Café is owned by a Qatari brother and sister partnership and creates international food with a Qatari twist. The original Fouj Café is located on Grand Hamad Street.
“This is our first business-to-business effort, and we will be offering more in the future. The new café meets Shell’s international standards, and we will apply those standards to our other locations in Doha in the future,” Mohamed al-Emadi, chief executive of Fouj Café said.
Qatar Shell’s ‘SME Business Opportunity’ initiative offers local SMEs the opportunity to participate in Qatar Shell’s tendering process. Last year, six new Qatari SMEs were awarded contracts with Shell, adding to the 14 contracts awarded between 2013 and 2015.
In addition to Fouj Café, Inspection Technology (I-Tech) is successfully providing onsite welding inspection services and Social Media Solutions is managing Qatar Shell’s social media platforms, both as part of the SME initiative.
The three other SMEs awarded contracts last year are also progressing: Cooper and Turner for the manufacturing of stud bolts; Digital Print Centre for the manufacturing of safety boards and electric labels; and Chubb Fire, International Gulf Trading for the manufacturing and maintenance of fire extinguishers.
Commenting on the success of local SMEs, Bader al-Kuwari, Business Localisation Support Manager at QDB, said: “The success of these six companies shows that local SMEs are capable of applying the international standards. This should encourage other big international companies in Qatar to give similar opportunities to local SMEs.”
QDB plays an important role by providing the SMEs and entrepreneurs with management, advisory and financial support. With a mandate to support Qatari SMEs, QDB works with its wide network of local partner banks to attract local SMEs to participate in this initiative.
“Qatar Shell trusts local SMEs to deliver to the highest standard and we remain committed to supporting them to help bolster the private sector in the country,” according to Mohamed AbuJbara, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager at Qatar Shell.
Qatar Shell’s annual ‘SME Business Opportunity’ initiative has been growing year on year. In May 2016, more than 250 SMEs attended the fourth annual ‘Qatari SME Business Opportunities Workshop’ to compete for further six contracts on offer, worth QR70mn. Contracts will be awarded in December.