Filli Cafe

#emiratesleisureretail #dxb #partnerships #travelretail #fillicafe #dubaiairport #dxb #customerexperience #foodandbeverage | Emirates Leisure Retail

We’re proud to bring another much-loved homegrown brand to travellers at Dubai International Airport - FiLLi Cafe.   Our vibrant new café in DXB Terminal 1, Concourse D, introduces the iconic Zafran Chai experience to one of the world’s busiest travel hubs.   This collaboration reflects the strength of our partnerships and our shared commitment to delivering concepts that truly resonate with today’s traveller.   FiLLi’s journey from a local favourite to a globally recognised café brand is rooted in culture, connection and consistency, values we’re proud to bring to life together in this new space. As consumer preferences continue to evolve, so do our offerings. From authentic, comforting flavours to modern, fast-casual dining experiences, this opening is another step in shaping a portfolio that blends global appeal with regional relevance. Whether it’s a quick grab-and-go moment or a pause before take-off, FiLLi offers a familiar taste of home with a contemporary twist.   This addition further strengthens our growing travel retail portfolio, where every concept is thoughtfully curated to enhance the guest experience and reflect what matters most to our customers today.   Here’s to more meaningful partnerships and memorable journeys! Head to the Media Centre on our website for the full press release - https://lnkd.in/dUHHrSfw   #EmiratesLeisureRetail #DXB #Partnerships #TravelRetail #FilliCafe #DubaiAirport #DXB #CustomerExperience #FoodAndBeverage Tyrone Reid | Murat Gun | Rafih fiLLi®| Ashraf H. | Vivek Rathour | Hitesh Mehta | Abdul Hannan | Graham Knowles | Andrew White | Norbert Erik Budai | Vipin Singh | Daniel Tomlinson | Matthew Caswell | MIKE GLEN | Deon Peacock | Narelle Fox | Khalid Khyser | Dubai Airports | EUGENE BARRY | Alison Macdonald | John Rogers

Dubai · United Arab Emirates · 21 May

New Store Opening

Yes! We are set to open fiLLi at beautiful ICC Academy this Sunday. See you there at 2 pm...#fiLLi

United Arab Emirates · 24 Oct 2020

Filli cafe: A steaming success

DUBAI: Who would have thought a nondescript cafeteria in Al Mamzar would one day become an international brand? Sounds incredible, but that is the story of Filli café which now has 27 outlets in the UAE, three in India, and one soon to open in London. Abdul Rafih, 35, owner of the café chain, says he was working with a well-known FMCG company in 2003 but absolutely detested the hour-long commute to Jebel Ali from his house in Al Mamzar. “I decided to quit my job and look after my father’s cafeteria, known as Al Zumalaa then, as I was fed up of Dubai-Sharjah traffic,” says Rafih as he looks back on the decision which many had termed as “rash” and “stupid” then. “Apart from my father, everyone said I was setting myself up for failure. My father said, ‘do what you like’,” says Rafih. Karak to Zaffran Soon after he took over the business, he introduced a range of sandwiches and tea blends. “People would come to buy the karak chai, but I started giving them my favourite ‘zaffran’ tea as a sampler,” he says. He recalls experimenting with saffron in the karak chai and thinking it might become a hit. “Gradually, Karak fans started asking for the zaffran tea which we used to sell at Dh2. They didn’t mind paying an extra Dh1.50 for a better experience,” says the entrepreneur who hails from Kerala in South India. The saffron tea is now priced Dh6. Rafih says a phone call from the Dubai Municipality in 2004 changed his life. “One of the customers had filed a complaint, saying we are selling a basic commodity at more than twice the price,” he recalls. “I told the officers, it’s not same as the karak chai. They wanted to see how “different’ it was and asked me to bring some for them,” he says with a smile. According to Rafih, they not only liked the tea but also thought the price was reasonable. “I decided to copyright the name – “Filli” tea, and serve it through a full-fledged franchise - something like Starbucks for tea,” he says. He then set up the Mankhool branch, marking a shift from a 250 square metre cafeteria to a 2,000 square metre eatery. “The rest as you see is history,” says Rafih, who claims to have served the tea even to the ruling family. Today, nearly 50,000 cups of Filli tea are sold every day in the UAE. The chain has two franchised branches in Bahrain and will soon be opening more outlets in the rest of the GCC. The future plan, as Rafih points out, is to open 100 more cafés in the UAE and 200 across the globe in the next five years. “More than anything, it’s luck and the Almighty’s grace that worked for me,” he says with modesty as he sips his Filli tea.

United Arab Emirates · 15 Aug 2017