Drinkit and Victoria Arduino to Host Beverage Innovation Workshop in Dubai

Dubai — Qahwa World

DrinkIt, the digital coffee shop chain, has announced a partnership with Victoria Arduino to host a professional workshop in Dubai on May 20, 2026, focused on beverage innovation, product development, and the commercial strategy behind bestselling drinks.

The three-hour workshop will take place at the Victoria Arduino headquarters in Dubai and is designed for professionals across the food and beverage industry seeking practical insight into how successful beverage concepts are developed and launched within real operating businesses.

Drawing on its experience operating 10 digital coffee shops across Dubai, DrinkIt’s R&D team will share the framework the company uses to evaluate new drink ideas, balancing taste, operational efficiency, pricing, scalability, and profitability before products are introduced to the menu.

According to the organizers, the workshop will focus on the idea that successful beverages are not built on recipes alone, but through product thinking that integrates customer experience, cost management, workflow efficiency, and operational consistency.

Key topics will include beverage development for real-world café operations, pricing strategy, cost of goods sold (COGS), unit economics, and the challenges of scaling beverage programs while maintaining quality and speed of service.

Participants will also take part in hands-on exercises designed to simulate the beverage development process, from concept creation and evaluation to launch decision-making.

The workshop is aimed at head baristas, café owners, F&B managers, product developers, and entrepreneurs involved in beverage innovation and café concepts.

The event will be held on May 20, 2026, from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM at the Victoria Arduino HQ in Dubai. Organizers noted that seats are limited and advance registration is required.

Registration is available here: Workshop Registration

DrinKit Opens Its 10th Branch in Dubai

Dubai – Qahwa World

DrinKit continues to stand out as one of the most inspiring success stories in the coffee sector, advancing its journey as Dubai’s first digital coffee shop concept. The company has announced the opening of its 10th branch in Emaar Creek Harbour, bringing its global network to 182 locations and positioning it among the fastest growing modern coffee chains.

Katerina Borodich, CEO of DrinKit in the UAE and the Middle East, stated that this opening ranks among the brand’s strongest launches to date. The branch began operations without any prior announcement, yet recorded 86 transactions on its first day, an early and positive indicator of strong performance from the outset.

This branch holds particular significance due to its location within a fully integrated residential community in Dubai Creek Harbour. It is also the largest DrinKit location in the UAE in terms of space. The choice reflects a strategic shift toward expansion in residential neighborhoods that rely on daily coffee consumption rather than focusing only on commercial or tourist areas.

Initial indicators point to strong performance in terms of average order value, reinforcing expectations for future growth at this location, which benefits from rising population density and a fast paced urban lifestyle.

This expansion also highlights the acceleration of DrinKit’s strategy in the Middle East, as the company continues its growth phase with plans to open additional branches across Dubai in the near future.

According to internal company data, Drinkit now operates 10 stores in Dubai, including four under the franchise model, reflecting its transition toward a scalable and replicable operating system.

This growth signals a broader shift in the Gulf coffee market, where brands are increasingly targeting residential communities to meet rising daily demand for coffee as part of modern lifestyles.

With 10 branches in Dubai and 182 worldwide, Drinkit continues to strengthen its presence in the UAE market as part of a wider expansion strategy.

UK’s WatchHouse Enters UAE Market via Franchise Partnership

Dubai – Qahwa World

London-based specialty coffee brand WatchHouse is set to make its first franchised overseas foray this October, through a partnership with Dubai’s Big Belly Hospitality.
World Coffee Portal

The rollout will begin with a pop-up espresso bar at Marsa Boulevard, a waterfront development on Dubai Creek, before transitioning to full-scale cafes. Two permanent locations are earmarked for Abu Dhabi Equestrian Club and Saadiyat Grove in early 2026, with additional sites—possibly including one in DIFC (Dubai International Financial Centre)—slated for later in the year.

Big Belly Hospitality’s founder, Pallav Patel, emphasized that the partnership aims to blend a “design-led” global coffee experience with local relevance in the UAE marketplace.
World Coffee Portal

For Big Belly Hospitality, this move complements its existing portfolio of F&B ventures in the UAE, such as Bombay Bungalow, Ibn Al Bahr, and Masti. The group also introduced UK’s Patty & Bun to the region in mid-2024.
World Coffee Portal

Before this UAE entry, WatchHouse had already entered the US market via its first international outlet on New York’s 5th Avenue in April 2024.
World Coffee Portal

The brand operates around 20 outlets in the UK, and in June 2025, opened a second US site within New York’s Chrysler Building.In September 2025, WatchHouse’s Managing Director, Caroline Ottoy, outlined ambitious expansion targets: aiming for 100 global stores by end-2028, with the US footprint growing to 25 sites and further international franchises in markets such as Singapore and Qatar.