Manama, Bahrain – November 2022 – A staple for casual diners throughout the island, the Al Abraaj Restaurants Group recently celebrated its 35th anniversary by winning the World Branding Awards 2022-2023 as brand of the year for Bahrain.

The prestigious awards are organised by the World Branding Forum (WBF), a global non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing branding standards. They recognise and celebrate some of the best global, regional and national brands for their works and achievements.

The staunch loyalty commanded by the group was made plain by the fact that winners have to go through a vigorous judging process involving brand valuation, consumer market research, and public online voting. This year, more than 3,500 brands were nominated by the public, out of which just 17 were selected to receive the Regional Tier award.

A Bahraini favourite, the group grew out of a single location (Al Abraaj Restaurant) in Sehla in 1987 and now comprises nine brands, with over 40 outlets, cafes, a catering division, and a workforce of more than 1,200 employees.

Despite operating for 35 years, “The brand remains ever-evolving to adapt to market trends and serve delicious food, in a mix of contemporary and traditional settings, catering to various audiences at reasonable prices,” in the words of Managing Director Hamad Rashed Hilal.

Al Abraaj Restaurant recently unveiled a refreshed menu featuring new mezze, salads, Turkish grills and other additions, besides the popular classics. The restaurant is also in the planning stages of entering the Saudi market.

Al Bindaira, a mainstay for traditional cafe lovers, will also be launching a revamped offering to coincide with Ramadan next year.

Lumee, a top destination for contemporary Bahraini street food, just inaugurated its first branch in Al Khobar which has proven to be very popular, while Lumee-On The Go is all set to make its debut at Bahrain International Airport this December.

MazMiz, one of the group’s newest endeavours, has proven to be hugely popular around Bahrain. Four outlets have opened in quick succession since 2020, with its fifth addition coming shortly to Bahrain City Centre. YaSalam!, another brand in the group’s portfolio, will also be opening its newest branch at the same mall.

Al Abraaj Restaurants Group isn’t just counting on its established brands either. In its drive to cater to diverse palates, it will be opening a new bistro concept at Hamala Hills, already home to Italian trattoria Otto. Additionally, the group plans to open a new contemporary Arabian concept at Liwan, the trendy open-air mixed use development in Hamala.

“We are proud of the efforts of everyone who has worked tirelessly to bring us to where we are today and are humbled by the World Branding Awards win. We hope to reach even greater heights in the future” concluded Mr. Hilal.

About The Al Abraaj Group

Al Abraaj Restaurants Group is widely recognized as a family business founded by Mr. Rashed Hilal Isa in 1987, pioneering excellence in the F&B sector, with over 40 outlets, cafes, a catering division, and a workforce of over 1,200 employees. Our philosophy at Al Abraaj Restaurants Group is simple: delicious food, in a mix of contemporary and traditional settings, catering to various audiences at a suitable price.

About the World Branding Forum

The World Branding Forum (WBF) is a global, non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing branding standards for the good of the branding community as well as consumers. This includes those who work in the branding, design, marketing, advertising, public relations and communications disciplines worldwide. The WBF produces, manages and supports a wide range of programmes covering research, development, education, recognition, networking and outreach. For more information, visit brandingforum.org.

About the World Branding Awards

The World Branding Awards is the premier awards of the World Branding Forum. The Awards recognises the achievements of some of the best brands in the world. Winners are selected based on brand valuation, market research, and online public voting. For more information, visit www.awards.brandingforum.org.