News

Kuwait’s Raha Is An E-Grocery And Logistics Tech Startup

The company has already raised $7 million and plans to secure further funding to fuel GCC growth.

Published

4 months ago

January 2, 2024

Nour Nasir

Raha

Launched in 2022, Raha, a Kuwaiti e-grocery and logistics startup founded by Saleh Al Tunaib, plans to disrupt the local food delivery sector using a mixture of advanced robotics and automation.

Raha offers a full range of fresh produce, groceries, and other household essentials. The company’s smart ordering platform leverages user data to provide a personalized experience, while a robot fulfillment team manages a mixture of products and made-to-order recipes inside Kuwait’s first fully automated distribution center.

Despite upfront costs, the robot-operated systems have better profitability margins from the third year onwards compared to conventional labor-intensive sorting and picking systems, Al Tunaib says: “it saves on manpower, it saves you the amount of real estate you require […] and it’s also very energy efficient”.

Saleh Al Tunaib began his career in Kuwait in 2010 and co-founded the crowdfunding platform Jaribha in 2011. By 2013, Al Tunaib was working at the OnCost Cash and Carry chain of grocery stores and had risen to the position of chief executive by 2016.

Also Read: Mobile Trends Shaping MENA In 2024

Due to changing habits in the wake of the pandemic, the MENA online grocery market is currently booming and was valued at $4.5 billion last year. The sector is forecast to grow massively by 2030, reaching a peak of $25 billion, according to consultancy firm RedSeer.

Since the launch, Raha has raised nearly $14 in seed funding and grown to become a multi-sector technology provider. The startup now has its sights firmly set on further GCC expansion.

News

Dubai Gives Go Ahead For $35 Billion Al Maktoum Airport Expansion

The project will include a new passenger terminal, helping the emirate achieve its goal of operating the world’s largest airport by 2050.

Published

1 hour ago

April 29, 2024

Nour Nasir

dubai gives go ahead for $35 billion al maktoum airport expansion

Dubai Media Office

On Sunday, April 28th, Dubai’s HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum gave the go-ahead to a major expansion project for Al Maktoum Airport (DWC).

The development will add a new passenger terminal to DWC, marking a major step in the emirate’s goal to transform the global transport hub into the world’s largest airport by 2050.

The construction project is valued at a massive $34.8 billion (AED128 billion), and is necessary to accommodate the projected surge in air travel over the coming years.

The DWC expansion plans were reportedly shelved in 2019. However, the project regained traction under the airport operating company Dubai Airports, who manage both Dubai International Airport (DXB) and DWC.

dubai al maktoum airport expansion

“HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum reviewed the strategic plan of the #Dubai Aviation Engineering Projects and approved designs for the new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport, which will be the largest in the world when fully operational,” announced the Dubai government on X, noting that the new terminal will increase annual capacity to over 260 million passengers.

Under the comprehensive development plans, Al Maktoum Airport will surpass the scale of Dubai International Airport by fivefold. Eventually, all of Dubai International’s operations will be moved to the new site.

Also Read: Abu Dhabi Developer To Build World’s First Healthy Living Island

Dubai Airport CEO Paul Griffiths has emphasized the need for a new facility as DXB airport approaches its maximum annual capacity of 120 million passengers, explaining that the new development will transform airport operations.

“We are not planning an airport that has terminals. We’re going to completely change the business model for airports, make them far more intimate, and get rid of all the legacy processes that we’ve had to subject our customers to for far too long,” Griffiths stated.