C3, an omnichannel food technology platform, and Saudi-based WK Holding, have announced a joint venture which aims to revolutionise the region’s food, beverage and lifestyle industries.
C3 Arabia represents a major international venture for C3 (Creating Culinary Communities), which manages and operates award-winning full service restaurants, culinary centres, ghost kitchens and mobile delivery.
The company said its expansion into Saudi Arabia is funded by Smart Food Holding, a division of WK Holding, through its consortium of high-profile partners.
The Saudi joint venture is aiming to launch 30 brand locations in year one, rising to 550 locations by year five comprising food halls, ghost kitchens, self-service, grab and go, drive-thru plus and mobile delivery.
C3 said it is looking at site locations at public and private developments at all scales, such as gyms, gas stations, airports, campuses, sports venues, malls and retail outlets, as well as Saudi mega-projects.
It added that it will generate hundreds of jobs.
Launched in 2019 by Sam Nazarian (pictured below), founder and CEO, C3 ilaunched 165 locations in the US in its first year, achieving 1.3 million orders to date.
C3 currently operates over 250 digital brand locations across the US with an expansion pipeline to well over 1,000.
Layla Abuzaid, founder and CEO, WK Holding, said: “C3’s expansion throughout Saudi Arabia will democratise haute cuisine by owning the food tech space in the region and we will assemble a best-in-class hospitality hub in the kingdom for the region, for the world.
“We will unlock local talents, celebrate our vibrant culinary culture, and export globally. C3 in Saudi Arabia is a world-first; no other platform has such transformative capacity to unite nations.”
Abuzaid added: “We are resolutely ambitious, committed to the realisation of Vision 2030 and to playing our part in establishing the kingdom as an epicentre of excellence… Saudi Arabia will become a blueprint global destination where culture and communities thrive.”
C3 and WK Holding said they will assemble an operating team based in Riyadh to design and deliver a best-in-class platform, including sourcing the highest quality produce from local suppliers.
Nazarian said: “International expansion is key to C3’s growth and there is no better partner to take us into the influential Saudi Arabia market.”
He added that C3’s expansion into Saudi Arabia is set to introduce 40 international brands to the region, including Umami Burger (pictured above), Sam’s Crispy Chicken, Krispy Rice, Kumi, Sa’moto.
The first C3 site in Saudi Arabia, Citizens Food Hall, is due to launch in Riyadh in the first quarter of 2022 and will feature a curated collection of C3 culinary brands. It will operate as a dining destination featuring full-service restaurants and a fast-casual food hall.
Powered by a ghost kitchen, Citizens Food Hall Riyadh will also serve meal delivery and pick up orders placed via an app.
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