Click for a coffee

Have you heard of a digital coffee shop? Yes, that’s right Drinkit, which opened its second Dubai branch at Emaar Square Downtown is the first coffee shop that allows you to customize any drink right in the app by choosing milk and bean type and regulating temperature and sweetness level if needed. Besides, the Drinkit tech platform recommends drinks based on users’ preferences and order history.

There is no traditional cash area at the store, as it was replaced by touchscreen kiosks and Drinkit’s mobile application. Guests can pre-order their drinks (including hand-brewed specialty coffee) on their way to the coffee shop and grab them three minutes later at the digital pick-up counter with not even a second of waiting in line. In just four weeks after opening, Drinkit reached x5 in number of orders and x4 in daily sales.  

The chain Drinkit is owned by Dodo Brands, a food service company operating across 19 countries with $990M in sales in 2023. This year, Drinkit plans to open 10 more coffee shops across Dubai. In conversation with Ekaterina Borodich, CEO of Drinkit Dubai to understand more on the brand’s growth story and its future plans.

Tell us a little about the prospect and potential that you see in the Middle East market which helped you decide on opening Drinkit here.

Certainly, the strategic location of Dubai as a global hub adds to the potential and attractiveness for launching a coffee shop chain such as Drinkit here. Dubai has positioned itself as a major business, tourism, and innovation hub, offering several advantages.

First of all, Dubai is an international hub with simplified visa requirements for many countries, so it’s technically easy to come to Dubai, which is very important for us as a global brand aiming to scale all over the world. Besides, Dubai hosts a diverse expatriate community from various parts of the world. If your concept found the keys to winning in a competitive and diverse market like Dubai, it’s a good sign for all other markets. Two previous points are tightly connected to the next one: increased brand visibility. Establishing a presence in Dubai can enhance brand visibility due to the city’s international reputation. A successful venture in Dubai can potentially open doors to expansion in other Middle Eastern markets.

What are the top 3 food service industry trends that are visible and, according to you, will change the face of the sector in the coming days?

Sustainability is definitely a strong trend. In Drinkit, for instance, we use our mobile application to easily show our guests all the ingredients and nutritional information so they can manage their consumption. Also, when guests order drinks through the app, they can choose the “my own cup” option and come with their cup instead of using a disposable one. 

Digital transformation: we’ve seen how the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of contactless technologies in the food service industry. So, in Drinkit’s newly opened location at EMAAR Square, 95% of orders are placed online. We built a convenient mobile app that opens lots of opportunities for the guests: from time-saving (you can pre-order and come after 2-4 minutes to pick up), to convenient deep customization (the app allows you to choose milk type, ideal temperature, coffee bean origin, level of sweetness) and proposes various other options to help make a perfect drink. 

Data analytics for personalization: thanks to data, we are able to offer more personalized experiences, such as menu recommendations. Mobile applications can help a lot to get closer to your guests and suggest the exact option they want afterward. 

Since its opening here, how has the restaurant been received by the consumers here?

People are curious about Drinkit and the new experience it brings. They like the sleek and clean design of the coffee shop and appreciate the digitalized ordering process that helps them save time daily. But the unshakable axiom is still the same: people are coming back because of the product and taste. We also see a lot of posts on Instagram from our guests, which means we are on the right path with our mission — to make your own coffee moment. 

Operating within a niche your menu offer and the pricing are a little unconventional. Does that pose any challenge?

Drinkit offers a wide range of drinks and food items with decent quality at affordable prices. Yet, it’s quite challenging to make it work from a business perspective. To make it happen, we invest in our own food production, which helps us flexibly manage the wide range of the menu, manage daily fresh food deliveries to coffee shops, and minimize the surface area of coffee shops. 

What are the future expansion plans you have in mind for Drinkit in the region?

This year, our main focus is on Dubai, with a plan to open 10 more coffee shops by the end of the year. In the near future, we plan to expand across the Middle East and beyond. We see great potential for Drinkit in the region thanks to its digital format and decent product quality, which is quickly adopted by local customers. 

Anurima Das