UAE's Air Arabia wins bid to operate low-cost 'air alliance' in Saudi Arabia
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Zawya
6 hours ago
- Zawya
Calo raises $39mln (SAR 146.27mln) in Series B extension
AlJazira Capital leads $39 million Series B extension following UK acquisitions by the Saudi headquartered Calo Existing investors Nuwa Capital, Al Faisliah Group, and Khwarizmi Ventures double down; Oraseya Capital joins as new investor Extension oversubscribed, taking Calo's total Series B raise to $64 million (SAR 240 million) after initial $25 million tranche in 2024 which was led by Nuwa Capital Calo achieves over 50% growth in H1 2025 and opens 10 physical stores across the GCC with IPO on track for 2027 Growth driven by three strategic levers: segment expansion, model innovation, and geographic scaling Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Calo ( the Middle East's largest foodtech startup revolutionizing personalized meal subscriptions, today announced it has raised $39 million (SAR 146.27 million) in a Series B extension round led by AlJazira Capital. The raise brings Calo's total Series B round to $64 million (SAR 240 million), following an initial $25 million tranche in December 2024. Existing investors Nuwa Capital, who led the initial $25 million Series B tranche, STV, Khwarizmi Ventures, and Al Faisaliah Group returned to participate in the extension, with Oraseya Capital joining the round. Following overwhelming investor interest, the round was oversubscribed beyond the originally targeted $50 million to support global growth, product expansion, and the integration of newly acquired businesses in the United Kingdom. With over 10 million meals delivered last year, Calo is the world's fastest growing meal subscription service, recording a high-growth nine-figure annualised revenue ($ million). Calo recently completed the acquisition of two leading UK-based meal subscription brands, Fresh Fitness Food and Detox Kitchen, marking a strategic entry into the European market. Both brands have now been integrated into Calo's operations and technology infrastructure, as part of the company's plan to scale internationally. 'We are humbled by the tremendous interest we've seen from both existing and new investors to double down on Calo. We're living in an interesting time where AI is transforming our lives, and we're excited to be investing in cutting-edge innovation to explore how Calo can use AI to influence the future of how we discover and eat healthy food. Being vertically integrated with the mission of 'Making Healthy Easy' gives us an edge to develop and scale world-class experiences not just regionally, but also globally,' said Ahmed Al Rawi, co-founder & CEO of Calo. In the first half of 2025, Calo grew over 50 percent year-over-year, driven by strong market performance across Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Kuwait. Over the past 12 months, Calo has localized operations by appointing General Managers in each market, improving customer understanding and accelerating growth. The company now operates more than 10 physical locations across the GCC, including hospital-based outlets, and is on track to open new sites every quarter. Calo's product roadmap continues to evolve. Recent segment expansions include athlete-targeted macro personalization, premium 'Chef's Picks' meals for lifestyle-focused customers, and expanded clean-eating offerings. On the model side, Calo is moving into on-demand delivery and will soon launch its own line of healthy CPG products under the mission of 'making healthy easy.' The company is piloting Calo Black, an AI-powered private chef experience. The product leverages large language models (LLMs) to capture nuanced customer preferences through natural conversation and generate personalized daily menus. Calo is embedding AI across user interaction and operational workflows to improve efficiency, scale personalization, and unlock new formats for customer experience. 'We are excited to lead Calo's Series B extension round and support Calo in their business ambitions,' said Rawan AlRasheed, Lead Manager – Impact Lab at AlJazira Capital. 'Calo is a homegrown Saudi company with global ambition, combining brand, technology, and operational excellence. We are confident in the team's ability to lead the company to a successful and prospers future. The transaction marks Aljazira Capital commitment to enable local and regional business ventures that drive meaningful change and to create a positive sustainable impact in health and wellness in line with our country's objectives.' As the company scales globally, Calo has appointed Caroline Hazlehurst as Chief Operating Officer. Caroline has held various senior executive roles supporting startups to scale operations globally, including as the first General Manager at Deliveroo UK & Ireland, VP at Bird and also as President at Moove. John Noja has been appointed as Chief of Staff, from Talabat where he was GM of its quick commerce unit. Calo recently announced a strategic partnership with premium gym operator Armah Sports Company, unlocking new wellness and retail collaborations. Armah's founder Fahad Alhagbani has also joined the company's board as an independent member building on his experience of taking two businesses public. As part of the partnership, Calo will explore co-located retail outlets, cross-promotional offers, and distribution of products through gym networks. Calo remains headquartered in Riyadh and is on track for a planned IPO in Saudi Arabia. The company currently operates in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait, with UK operations now underway. The company has also launched in Oman with over 5,000 customers on the waiting list. In 2024, Calo delivered 10 million meals across the GCC, reinforcing growing demand for data-driven, personalized nutrition. About Calo Calo is a direct-to-consumer foodtech startup providing personalized meal subscriptions to a growing base of health-conscious customers. The company is vertically integrated and built on a strong technology infrastructure allowing it to optimize the operation of its multiple kitchens and bridge consumer preferences with tech-driven analysis, production, and delivery of data-driven meals. Calo was launched in November 2019 and has offices in Riyadh, Bahrain and Dubai. For more information, job openings, and Calo's latest news, please visit:
Zawya
6 hours ago
- Zawya
Arabian Drilling fuels global expansion with first international offshore deal, UAE branch
Riyadh – Arabian Drilling has signed an agreement with a GCC-based company, marking its first offshore operation outside Saudi Arabia, according to a press release. The Saudi firm aims to expand its operations beyond its domestic market with a landmark geographical venture in line with its long-term strategy. Meanwhile, the operations are set to begin in the first quarter (Q1) of 2026 and will have an accretive impact on the backlog of SAR 75 million. The initial allocation of SAR 75 million is designated for the preliminary drilling of exploration wells within a period of five to seven months. This venture is expected to meet the challenges and capture the opportunities of the global market. Ghassan Mirdad, CEO of Arabian Drilling, commented: "Signing this contract signifies a strategic milestone for Arabian Drilling as it marks our first major step in expanding our operational footprint internationally.' "As we witness the unfolding events of this year, we are preparing to take significant steps to implement a major transformation with the aim of becoming a stronger and more flexible company, with a sustainable financial structure, and we look forward to facing the future with confidence, aiming to achieve long-term sustainable returns for our shareholders," Mirdad added. Meanwhile, Arabian Drilling launched a new branch in Sharjah to serve as a base for its regional operations within the GCC region and beyond. The UAE office is part of the company's strategic initiative to enhance its operational reach and service delivery in international markets. In February, the company inked a deal with Shelf Drilling Limited to deploy some of its premium jack-up rigs internationally. All Rights Reserved - Mubasher Info © 2005 - 2025 Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
Zawya
7 hours ago
- Zawya
Air Arabia adds third daily flight to Bangkok
UAE - Air Arabia, a low-cost carrier operator in Mena, has announced the expansion of its flight services to Bangkok, Thailand, with the addition of a third daily flight starting on October 26. The increase to three daily flights between Sharjah International Airport and Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Bangkok underscores Air Arabia's commitment to offering its customers enhanced connectivity, greater convenience and more flexible travel options between the UAE and Thailand Adel Al Ali, Group Chief Executive Officer, Air Arabia, said: 'We are glad to expand our service to Bangkok, which reaffirms our ongoing commitment to meeting customer demand and strengthening connectivity to key global markets. We remain dedicated to enhancing the travel experience of our customers while also contributing to the growth of trade and tourism ties between the UAE and Thailand'. Copyright 2025 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
