Thomas & Adamson, the international project management and cost consultancy firm, has announced that it is delivering project management (PM) and cost management (CM) services on four new food and beverage projects taking shape across the UAE’s two most vibrant cities: Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The four projects have a total area of more than 52,000 SQFT.
Post-pandemic, the built environment has had to grapple with numerous supply chain challenges, including logistics bottlenecks and rising costs; supply-demand imbalances; shifting material preferences; extreme weather events; global conflicts, and even labour shortages. Driven by diverse factors, these supply chain issues have had a pronounced effect on construction costs; in late 2022, one of the largest developers in Saudi Arabia, Dar Al Arkan, said it was forecasting a 15 to 20 per cent rise in costs in the next 12 months.
“Construction costs which include materials, labour etc. have increased by 8 to 12 per cent year-on-year from 2020 to 2023. Cumulatively, that amounts to the cost of construction increasing by between 28 to 35 per cent compared to pre-pandemic levels. This has had a significant impact on project budgets and stakeholder margins, which were already under pressure pre-pandemic. This means it’s absolutely essential that projects are delivered meeting quality standards, and agreed timelines, whilst remaining on budget. Taking into account our successful track record, the experience our team possesses with bringing projects in Europe, the Middle East and the United States to successful fruition, and our highly collaborative approach, we are on track to exceed our client’s expectations across these four new builds,” says Rudolph van Wyk, Director at Thomas and Adamson Middle East.
In Dubai, T&A is delivering PM services for two new and exciting F&B offerings in the up-and-coming Dubai Hills district. Working with client Hotaru Holdings and interior fit-out company A&T Group Interiors, the company is facilitating the delivery of two unique Asian cuisine restaurants. Comprising two units totalling an area of 7,000 SQFT, both restaurants are expected to contribute significantly to the UAE’s fast-growing F&B scene.
In addition, T&A has just been appointed for CM services on a brand-new project with Caprice Holdings, owner of some of London’s oldest and most classic F&B establishments. Located in Dubai’s DIFC, the brief is to ensure the client is met with a reputation for culinary excellence, redefining Dubai’s dining landscape, captivating patrons, and becoming an iconic destination for indulgent gastronomy. This 15,220 sqft, one plus mezzanine is the first from the brand’s global footprint to launch in the UAE.
In the capital, T&A is working closely with an F&B asset owner and the broader supply chain, delivering both PM and CM services, to ensure a landmark 30,000 sqft project is delivered in line with the client’s expectations. The project is expected to achieve the Estidama Pearl 2 rating.
This ongoing expansion of both local and international F&B concepts demonstrates the robustness of the F&B sector in the UAE. According to a Mordor Intelligence Foodservice market report, the UAE’s food service sector is valued at US $12.46 million in 2023 and is forecasted to grow at a CAGR of 4.8% to $15.76 million in 2028. The report said that high disposable income, rising tourist arrivals, increasing urban lifestyles, and evolving consumer preferences have propelled the growth of the food service market in the country.
“Thomas & Adamson is honoured to work with its clients in both Emirates on these exceptional F&B projects. While projects differ from each other, each will contribute significantly to the UAE’s thriving F&B sector, and we are pleased to be a part of their development journeys. F&B projects are complex and require a substantial commitment from every stakeholder to ensure that quality, time schedules, and budgets are maintained. Applying our experience as a global business has enabled us to achieve continuous success on a variety of construction builds for over 85 years and we are confident our exceptional service offering, and experience will guide these projects to successful conclusion,” adds Wyk.