MMI and Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation reach agreement on Duty Free Dubai Ports

DFDP operates duty free retail outlets in Jebel Ali Port, Port Rashid and the Dubai Cruise Terminal at Port Rashid, as well as a regional wholesale duty free business, supplying gold, cosmetics, perfumes, liquor, electronics and tobacco to inbound visitors. MMI will manage the privatized DFDP operation, which currently employs 20 staff.

The acquisition is part of MMI's strategy of downstream diversification, moving the business focus closer to end consumers in the rapidly developing consumer markets of the region, especially Dubai. It also complements MMI's existing regional duty free, ship chandling and inbound tourism businesses.

Kerem Camcigil, CEO of MMI, explained the rationale behind the acquisition: "Duty Free Dubai Ports has been operating for four years as a non core privatized business of PCFC and has achieved year on year sales growth, partly driven by the expansion of Dubai's ports. There is a very good business fit with MMI because of our existing regional duty free business, the complementary nature of DFDP's suppliers, as well as the opportunities we can create for our own ship chandling and inbound travel and tourism operations. We intend to enhance the growth of DFDP through our own rapidly developing business infrastructure and purchasing power."

MMI, a subsidiary of the Emirates Group, is a marketing services company providing marketing and distribution support to the leisure, corporate and consumer retail markets of the UAE and Oman. The company creates, builds and delivers to the region world class consumer and leisure brands and is the franchise holder for Costa Coffee in the UAE. MMI also creates, manages and supports some of the biggest entertainment and community events in the UAE.