Latest news with #UAE-born
Time Out Abu Dhabi
12 hours ago
- Business
- Time Out Abu Dhabi
A new fried chicken joint has opened in Abu Dhabi and it looks so tasty
BonBird has touched down in Abu Dhabi – and it's bringing buckets of hype (and actual buckets of chicken). If you've ever stood in a queue in Dubai for fried chicken served with oodles of flavour, chances are you've heard of BonBird. Now, the UAE-born brand is officially one of Abu Dhabi's new restaurants, setting up shop in Gardens Plaza, Khalifa City – and Abu Dhabi's fried chicken scene just got a serious upgrade. The new 60-seater spot is open daily from 10am to 1am, and it's got everything from burgers and wraps to big, saucy bowls and old-school buckets of the crispy stuff. Expect seasoning that doesn't hold back (hello, BonBird Chicken Salt and the XXX Hot) and a no-nonsense menu that reads like it was designed by someone who's actually eaten fried chicken in the early hours of the morning. BonBird might be dressed up like a trendy East London chicken shop, but there's more to it than neon signs and industrial lighting. It was launched by Yolk Brands in 2023 and has already gone international, with outposts in Qatar, Pakistan, and Oman. Next stop: the UK – with 50 locations in the works. As for the Abu Dhabi branch, it's pretty chill. Easy parking off Ahmed Bin Abulaziz Al Mubarak Street, open till late, and delivery is available via Deliveroo and Talabat if you'd rather eat your chicken horizontally on the sofa (no judgements here). Now open. Daily 10am-1am. Gardens Plaza, Khalifa City, @ More going on in Abu Dhabi You can now get a robotaxi from Zayed International Airport Trips to the airport just got an upgrade Abu Dhabi's best restaurants: Everywhere you should eat at least once Your dinner inspo is sorted 20 incredibly fun ways to explore Abu Dhabi after dark The city is at its most fascinating once the sun goes down
Mid East Info
16 hours ago
- Business
- Mid East Info
Mamo Crosses AED 1.2 Billion in Total Payment Volume, Accelerates Vision to Become UAE's Leading Financial Hub for SMEs
Mamo, the UAE-born fintech building the future of business finance, today announced that it has crossed AED 1.2 billion in total payment transaction volume. The milestone marks a major step forward in the company's mission to simplify financial operations for businesses in the region. Founded with the goal of empowering businesses through simpler, faster, and more transparent financial tools, Mamo has rapidly grown into a trusted partner for thousands of businesses across the UAE. ' Reaching AED 1.2 billion in total processed volume isn't just a number – it's a reflection of the trust our customers place in us and their pressing need for better financial tools ', said Imad Gharazeddine , co-founder and CEO of Mamo. ' Our vision is to become a one-stop financial management platform for businesses – offering everything from payments to expense management, and credit. ' Following the success of its core payments and business wallet products, Mamo is expanding its offerings to support the full financial life cycle of a business. In the coming months, the company will launch a Mamo-branded credit card designed specifically for growing businesses, providing flexible access to short-term credit, real-time spend insights, and seamless integration with Mamo's dashboard. Mamo's growth reflects a broader shift in the region toward smarter, founder-friendly financial infrastructure. With legacy payments infrastructure often falling short of the needs of modern businesses, Mamo's agile and tech-first approach has resonated deeply with the UAE's entrepreneurial ecosystem. As it continues to scale, Mamo remains focused on key pillars: trust, simplicity, and financial empowerment. With the AED 1.2 billion milestone crossed, the company is doubling down on innovation to help businesses save time, reduce costs, and grow with confidence.
What's On
2 days ago
- Business
- What's On
Capital crunch: BonBird is landing in Abu Dhabi with first-ever location
BonBird with a capital B, in Abu Dhabi, baby… Find us dropping bars only for you, BonBird. The homegrown fried chicken favourite is landing in the capital, and for all the Abu Dhabi residents looking for crazy good, crunchy chicken, your time is here. If you were driving up and down for just one glimpse, one bite, one whiff of the chicken salt fries; if you dreamt of the weekend so you could make the trip for that ooey, gooey, chicken melt; if you prayed every day for a BonBird in your city – congratulations. Fans of fried chicken can now sample this beloved bird in Gardens Plaza, Khalifa City, the brand's first-ever venue in the capital. UAE-born and bred, BonBird has been around the world before coming to Abu Dhabi, opening outlets in Qatar, Oman, Pakistan and most recently having signed a massive franchise deal for a whopping 50 stores in the UK. BonBird's confident stride into the UK cuisine scene will see the brand partnering with City Restaurants Group (of Afrikana and Mowchi fame). The plan is to open 50 outlets over the next five years, with the first five hitting the streets in the first year. The 1,000 square feet site seats up to 60 guests and features the quintessential, easygoing, feel-good vibe of BonBird outlets everywhere, serving fresh fried chicken from 10am to 1am, daily. It's also available to order on Talabat and Deliveroo right off the bat, so all your at-home takeout plans are safe. Born in 2023 and inspired by the raw charm of East London's iconic chicken shops, BonBird is all about fuss-free, just really good fried chicken. It's one of the most popular homegrown-gone-global success stories of the many UAE-born brands and serves up a limited, but flavour-packed menu of buckets, wraps, burgers and bowls, with a scale of heat to choose from, ranging from chicken salt to extra-times-three heat. The chicken used is free from antibiotics, preservatives and hormones. BonBird, Gradens Plaza, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, daily, 10am to 1am, Tel: (0) 2 449 239, @ Images: Supplied > Sign up for FREE to get exclusive updates that you are interested in
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
From e-passports to colour-coded covers: Indian expats in UAE to see major passport overhaul in 2025
Indian passports are getting a high-tech, user-friendly makeover in 2025, and the updates are especially relevant for the over 3.5 million Indians living in the UAE. From chip-enabled e-passports to easier documentation for families, these sweeping reforms aim to modernize how Indians at home and abroad manage one of their most important identity documents. Here's what's changing, and why it matters: 1. Say hello to the e-passport India has begun rolling out e-passports embedded with RFID chips that store biometric details like fingerprints, digital signatures, and facial data. They meet global ICAO standards and are designed to: Speed up immigration checks Improve data security Automatically issue with every new application or renewal So if you're applying for a new passport or renewal in the UAE, you'll likely receive the upgraded version—no special request needed. 2. Want to add your spouse's name? No marriage certificate required In a major shift, Indian passport holders can now add their spouse's name using a self-declared affidavit (Annexure J)—no registered marriage certificate needed. Both spouses must be physically present at the Indian Consulate in the UAE to sign the joint declaration, which includes photos, ID details, and signatures. Bonus: Women can also use the same form to update or change their surname post-marriage. 3. Birth certificate now mandatory—for some If your child is born on or after October 1, 2023, you must submit a government-issued birth certificate to prove their date of birth. For UAE-born children, the certificate must be: Issued by UAE health authorities Attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs Submitted with documents like parents' passports and marriage certificate Older applicants can still use school records, PAN, voter ID, or driving licenses. 4. Residential address goes digital To protect personal privacy, residential addresses will no longer be printed on the last page of the passport. Instead: They'll be stored digitally Linked via a QR code or barcode Accessible only to immigration or government authorities This change cuts down misuse and improves data safety. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Conheça o Alarme com Sirene que afasta os Ladrões com 40% Off Verisure Saiba Mais Undo 5. Parents' names no longer mandatory In a move towards inclusivity, parents' or legal guardians' names will no longer appear on new Indian passports. The change simplifies applications for people from: Single-parent households Estranged families LGBTQ+ or non-traditional family structures 6. Passport covers get a colour code India is introducing a colour-coded passport cover system to make identification easier: White – Government officials Red – Diplomats Blue – Ordinary citizens (unchanged) Expect quicker checks and clearer queues at immigration counters. 7. More passport centres coming To reduce wait times and improve access, India plans to expand its passport service network from 442 to 600 centres by 2030, especially in rural and semi-urban areas. Bottom line? Whether you're renewing a passport in Dubai or applying for your baby's first one in Abu Dhabi, these changes promise faster, safer, and more inclusive service, finally bringing the passport system up to speed with the times.
Al Etihad
21-05-2025
- Business
- Al Etihad
UAE startup transforms discarded palm fronds into sustainable building materials
21 May 2025 03:50 MAYS IBRAHIM (ABU DHABI) In the UAE, millions of date palms are trimmed each year, generating massive volumes of agricultural waste – particularly palm fronds. Once used in traditional building methods, these fronds today often end up discarded or burned. Desert Board, a UAE-born startup, is on a mission to change that. Its solution involves manufacturing high-strength wooden boards entirely from the fronds of the native date palm, transforming what was once agricultural waste into sustainable building materials. 'We're making something from the UAE, in the UAE, for the UAE,' Kamal Farah, Director of Desert Board, told Aletihad in an interview on the sidelines of Make it in the Emirates. This homegrown company's 55,000sqm automated factory in Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi (KIZAD) now produces enough board to fill sixteen 20ft shipping containers every day. Their applications range from furniture and interior walls to full housing structures, according to Farah. 'We're not just making boards. We're proving that the UAE can lead in sustainable, bio-based manufacturing, without cutting down a single tree,' Farah said. 'Our boards are zero-formaldehyde, carbon-negative, and fully aligned with the UAE's sustainability goals.' The company's production process follows circular economy and bio-economy principles whereby no trees are felled, habitats remain intact, and local agricultural byproducts find high-value use. The palm fronds are repurposed through a bespoke, multi-stage process developed in-house over two decades, Farah said. This involves pulping and pressing raw fronds in a three-storey, 25-metre-long press, then bonding them into boards that boast high screw-holding strength and fire resistance. The company was founded by Farah's father, Hatta Farah, and produced its first board in 2021 after years of research and custom machinery development. Its future plans involve building more factories to expand operations across the UAE and potentially in Saudi Arabia to meet growing demand.
