RIYADH, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – Cenomi Retail today announces an agreement with Vienna-based coffee company Bieder & Maier Coffee to bring Vienna coffee houses to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The deal is announced following support from the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia (MISA) and the Saudi Coffee Company (SCC) towards Bieder & Maier’s investment journey and development in the Kingdom.
Cenomi Retail, a leading shopping mall owner and operator in the Kingdom with household brands such as Zara, Alo Yoga, Subway and Cinnabon, has signed to exclusively open and operate Bieder & Maier Vienna Coffee Houses in the coming years.
This follows a natural move by the MISA and the SCC to invest in Bieder & Maier’s development in the region, with the union of Saudi Arabia, the ‘Home of Arabica’ beans, and Vienna, ‘Home of Coffee Houses’ connoting a perfect world heritage partnership. In 2011, the Vienna Coffee House Culture became declared as an intangible world heritage, in 2015, Arabic Coffee, and in 2022 Saudi Khawali Beans followed by UNESCO declarations.
The strategic and investment partnership between Saudi Arabia and Bieder & Maier is facilitated by the MISA and His Excellency Khalid Al-Falih as part of a wider comprehensive plan to generate growth and sustainable development in Saudi Arabia. The goal of the signed Memorandum of Understanding between Bieder & Maier and Saudi Arabia is to intensify the cooperation between the involved parties in the coming years to deliver on this wider plan.
Bieder & Maier will source Arabica Beans from the Jezan Region, blend and roast them to creating a new ‘Bieder & Maier Premium Saudi Blend’, which will be available in medium and light roast for the Saudi market as well as in Vienna.
Commenting on the agreement, Dr. Günther Helm, CEO of Cenomi Retail, said: “We are extremely optimistic about the potential of Vienna Coffee Houses in Saudi Arabia through our new partnership with Bieder & Maier Vienna Coffee. We are also thankful to the Ministry of Investment of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi Coffee Company for facilitating this joint venture. Cenomi Retail is proud to bring this new offering to the Kingdom, providing an exciting new brand option for our consumers. It is also integral to our continued growth strategy, with a strong focus on expanding the F&B sector of our business.”
Mr Khalid AbuTheeb, CEO of Saudi Coffee Company, commented: “The coffee is an embodiment of our culture and identity. With the objective of enhancing the local coffee industry and promoting our coffee tradition, we have collaborated with Bieder & Maier, a Vienna-based coffee powerhouse. Through this collaboration facilitated by MISA, Saudi Coffee Company will bring forth unique coffee blends utilizing Saudi coffee beans in mix with international beans to the Saudi and Austrian markets. We will also spearhead the utilization of locally sourced Saudi beans for global brands and entities, such as Bieder & Maier. This partnership is in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, that aims to enhance the whole value chain of the Saudi coffee industry, in order to diversify the economy and increase the coffee industry’s GDP share.”
Mr Rudi Kobza, Founder and CEO of Bieder & Maier Vienna Coffee, commented: “We feel very honored announcing this partnership with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and bringing coffee quality and cultures together. In this collaboration and the strengths of the involved partners we see a big potential for the coming years to serve coffee in Saudi Arabia because of its unrivalled quality.“
In future, further investments in Saudi Arabia are planned, from local roasting options to nationwide distribution in Saudi Arabia. This development plan will be strongly supported by various experts within the MISA.
