Al Rawabi Group
Al Rawabi Group is a privately held Qatari conglomerate founded in 1980 operating 17 retail hypermarkets, cash-and-carry wholesale outlets, food manufacturing, B2B distribution, and restaurant brands across Qatar and the GCC, serving individual consumers, retailers, and food service operators.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersDoha, Qatar
- Headcount5,001–10,000
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Al Rawabi Group does
Al Rawabi Group of Companies WLL is a privately held Qatari conglomerate founded in 1980 by M.P. Abdulla and headquartered in Doha. The group operates across five core verticals — retail (Rawabi Hypermarket, 17 stores across the GCC including a 120,000 sq. ft. flagship in Izghawa), wholesale cash-and-carry (Wholesale Plus with two Qatar outlets following the April 2025 rebrand of Rawabi Food Stuff), food manufacturing (Choice Food Factory producing the English Oven bakery brand and Barkaas private-label dry goods), B2B distribution (Active Trading for fresh/frozen/chilled products, Five Group Trading for FMCG imports from 11+ countries), and restaurants (Hot Chicken since 1991, Hot Tea, Hilal Al Khaleej, Tasty Restaurant, Café Lovella).
The company runs consumer-facing digital channels including the Rawabi Shopping e-commerce platform (multi-language, Apple Pay/Google Pay integrated, 30-minute express delivery) and the Tasveek grocery mobile application on iOS and Android, alongside the Ahlan Rewards Club loyalty program with 500,000+ members. Underlying operations are supported by a logistics footprint of 100,000+ sqm of facilities and a 400-vehicle distribution fleet, plus international procurement sourcing from 45+ countries.
The business model is transactional across segments — hypermarket retail, wholesale cash-and-carry, restaurant sales, food manufacturing, and B2B distribution — serving three customer groups: individual consumers through retail and restaurants (consumer segment served by 100+ nationalities), retailers and resellers via wholesale channels, and food service operators (restaurants, caterers, cafeterias). Pricing follows standard retail/wholesale unit pricing with no subscription or recurring revenue model. The conglomerate is family-controlled under the Abdulla family, with Mohammed Abdulla as Managing Director and Ajmal Abdulla as Executive Director, and currently employs 3,500+ staff from 25 nationalities.
Al Rawabi Group firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Al Rawabi Group
- Legal name
- Al Rawabi Group of Companies WLL
- Website
- https://alrawabigroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 5,001–10,000 employees
- Short description
- Al Rawabi Group is a privately held Qatari conglomerate founded in 1980 operating 17 retail hypermarkets, cash-and-carry wholesale outlets, food manufacturing, B2B distribution, and restaurant brands across Qatar and the GCC, serving individual consumers, retailers, and food service operators.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Al Rawabi Group industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Diversified Conglomerate (Retail, Wholesale, Food Manufacturing, Distribution, Restaurants)
- NAICS
- Grocery and Convenience Retailers (4451), Warehouse Clubs, Supercenters, and Other General Merchandise Retailers (45521), All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Groceries, General Line (5141), Retail-Eating & Drinking Places (5810), Public Warehousing & Storage (4220), Retail-Misc General Merchandise Stores (5399)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Full-Assortment Hard Discounters (CRAHADAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Bulk Frozen & Refrigerated Wholesale-to-Consumer (CRAHAMAL), E-commerce & Omnichannel Fulfillment Centers (Non-Temp Controlled) (TLALAAAC)
Keywords
Where Al Rawabi Group is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Doha
- HQ country
- Qatar
- HQ region
- Middle East
Offices4 records
Markets served
Al Rawabi Group business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Retail Operations: Revenue from retail hypermarket operations including Rawabi Hypermarket stores offering groceries, electronics, fashion, household goods across Qatar
- Wholesale Distribution: Cash-and-carry wholesale operations through Wholesale Plus outlets serving retailers, foodservice operators, and bulk buyers across Qatar
- Restaurant & Food Service: Revenue from multiple restaurant brands including Hot Chicken, Hot Tea, Hilal Al Khaleej, Tasty Restaurant, and Café Lovella
- Food Manufacturing: Revenue from Choice Food Factory producing bakery items under English Oven brand, packaged spices, pulses, and dry goods under Choice and Barkaas brands
- Distribution & Logistics: Distribution services through Active Trading serving restaurants, retailers, caterers, and wholesalers with fresh, frozen, and chilled products
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Hypermarket retail pricing |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Wholesale cash-and-carry pricing |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels6 records
Al Rawabi Group product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Al Rawabi Group is a diversified Qatari conglomerate that operates retail hypermarkets and electronics stores (Rawabi Hypermarket, Ajmal Electronics & Toys), cash-and-carry wholesale outlets (Wholesale Plus and allied entities), food manufacturing (Choice Food Factory producing English Oven bakery and Barkaas private-label dry goods), fresh and FMCG distribution (Active Trading, Five Group Trading), and a portfolio of restaurant brands (Hot Chicken, Hot Tea, Hilal Al Khaleej, Tasty Restaurant, Café Lovella). The group is anchored in Qatar, with GCC and international supply and sourcing spanning 45+ countries, and supports customers through both physical storefronts and the Rawabi Shopping e-commerce and Tasveek app channels.
Product overview
Al Rawabi Group is a diversified conglomerate operating a multi-brand portfolio across retail, wholesale, distribution, food production, and restaurant sectors. The core retail operation is Rawabi Hypermarket (flagship 120,000 sq. ft. Izghawa store), supported by wholesale operations including Wholesale Plus (cash-and-carry), Rawabi Food International, Al Rawabi Food Stuff, and Emdadco Food Stuff Trading. The food production division operates Choice Food Factory producing English Oven bakery products, Choice Food Factory packaged goods, and Barkaas private-label products. Restaurant brands include Hot Chicken (since 1991), Hot Tea, Tasty Restaurant, Café Lovella, and Hilal Al Khaleej. Digital commerce is served through Tasveek grocery app and Rawabi Shopping online platform. Distribution is handled through Active Trading (fresh/frozen products) and Five Group Trading (FMCG from 11+ countries).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hot Chicken: Fried chicken restaurant chain operating since 1991, known for crispy fried chicken and grilled options
- Hot Tea
- Hilal Al Khaleej
- Tasty Restaurant
- Café Lovella
- English Oven
- Choice Food Factory
- Barkaas
- Tasveek
- Ahlan Rewards Club
- R-Café
Products and services
- Rawabi Hypermarket Flagship hypermarket retail destination in Qatar offering groceries, electronics, fashion, beauty, and household essentials across 17 stores in the GCC. Designed for everyday household shoppers seeking variety, value, and a one-stop shopping experience.
- Wholesale Plus Cash-and-carry wholesale outlet offering groceries, dairy, health and beauty products, and household essentials for retailers, foodservice operators, and bulk buyers, with outlets in Al Rayyan and Ain Khaled.
- Choice Food Factory Modern in-house food packaging facility producing packaged spices, pulses, and dry goods for retail and wholesale markets under Choice and Barkaas brands.
- English Oven In-house bakery brand producing fresh bread, pastries, and dry cakes for retail and wholesale markets, operated from the Choice Food Factory facility.
- Barkaas Private-label brand offering pulses, dates, and packaged dry goods for retail and wholesale partners across Qatar.
- Hot Chicken Restaurant chain serving fried chicken and grilled options under a heritage brand launched in 1991, operated as a Qatar institution in the group's Restaurant Division.
- Hot Tea Café-style restaurant destination offering signature Karak Tea, high-quality tea, and coffee in a warm, inviting setting.
- Tasty Restaurant Casual-dining restaurant offering a flavorful fusion of Indian and Arabic cuisines at affordable prices.
- Café Lovella Premium coffee destination serving expertly brewed coffee, refreshing beverages, and light meals as part of the group's Restaurant Division.
- Hilal Al Khaleej Café brand offering authentic karak tea and premium Gulf beverages in a welcoming café setting within the group's Restaurant Division.
- Rawabi Food International International food distribution and wholesale solutions entity operating under the Al Rawabi Wholesale Division.
- Al Rawabi Food Stuff Comprehensive food products and grocery wholesale operations under the Al Rawabi Wholesale Division, providing bulk supply to retailers, restaurants, and institutional buyers.
- Emdadco Food Stuff Trading Specialized food trading and distribution services operating under the Al Rawabi Wholesale Division.
- Active Trading B2B fresh, frozen, and chilled distribution service sourcing from Turkey, Canada, India, and Australia to serve restaurants, retailers, caterers, and wholesalers across Qatar.
- Five Group Trading Import and export of food and non-food FMCG products from 11+ countries including Italy, India, Spain, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, UAE, Pakistan, Turkey, China, Bangladesh, Canada, and Australia.
- Rawabi Shopping Online Platform Al Rawabi Hypermarket's online shopping storefront offering groceries, electronics, fashion, beauty, and home essentials with multi-language support, Apple Pay and Google Pay, free delivery over 50 QAR, and 30-minute express delivery across Qatar.
- Tasveek Grocery App Grocery shopping mobile application offering convenient shopping on iOS and Android, available via the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
- Ajmal Electronics & Toys Specialty retail brand offering premium electronics, toys, and consumer gadgets for families across Qatar within Al Rawabi Group's retail vertical.
- Five Star Natural Peanut Butter Natural peanut butter product launched by Five Group Trading in partnership with United Foods (Managing Partner Ayan Bhurani, President & CEO Sandeep Charan) as a branded consumer food product distributed through Al Rawabi's trading network.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 500,000 loyalty program members
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Al Rawabi Group
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Al Rawabi Group technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature3 records
Al Rawabi Group partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered major, minor and core.
- Republic of IndonesiamajorHigh-level discussions with Indonesian Ambassador H.E. Syahda Guruh Langkah Samudera on strengthening bilateral trade relations and expanding cooperation between Qatar and Indonesia
- Meridian Constructions QatarmajorTitle sponsor for Rawabi Sports League Season 2, supporting sports and employee engagement initiatives
- JBS and Pena BrancamajorEvent power sponsors for Rawabi Sports League Season 2
- Gulf Times, Rawabi Media, Inkfinity, Dorado AdvertisingminorMedia partners for Rawabi Sports League Season 2 providing extensive media coverage
- United FoodsmajorStrategic partner for Five Star Natural Peanut Butter launch, with leadership including Managing Partner Ayan Bhurani, President & CEO Sandeep Charan
- Qatar Sports for All Federation (QSFA)coreOfficial partner for Rawabi Mini Marathon events and sports initiatives, supporting community health and wellness objectives aligned with Qatar National Vision 2030
- Rawabi Sports League (RSL)coreInternal sports league initiative promoting employee wellness and team building across Rawabi Group divisions
- Ministry of Commerce and Industry (Qatar)coreGovernment partnership for Rawabi National Product Week initiative promoting local Qatari products and food security
- 1000+ BrandscoreBrands served through wholesale and retail operations including Wholesale Plus, Choice Food Factory, Rawabi Mini Mart, Rawabi Electronics, Rawabi Garage, Bias Technology, Super Touch, Netto Market, Rawabi Food Stuff, Ajmal Food Center, Grand Hypermarket, Rawabi Hypermarket, Five Group, Active Trading, R Food International, Emdaco Foodstuff, Ajmal Trading, Tasty Restaurant
- Sparx, Liyano, ECKA Sport, Para John, Elegant Star, Saleem Store Trading, English Garden, Haleeba, Farm Olivia, Kitchen Scent, Rawa, Baladna, Noogy, Royal Taj, TrademenminorMarathon sponsors for Rawabi Mini Marathon Season 3 supporting community health initiatives
Scale indicators10 records
Recent moves10 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Al Rawabi Group competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Nesto Group: GCC-based hypermarket and wholesale chain operating Nesto and Nesto Hypermarket formats. Comparable to Al Rawabi on the multi-format retail-plus-wholesale model, with similar value-pricing positioning and expansion ambitions across the Gulf.
- United Foods Company: Qatar-based food manufacturing and distribution company producing peanut butter, sauces, and FMCG. Strategic partner to Al Rawabi (Five Star Natural Peanut Butter launch) and a direct peer in the Qatari packaged-foods space feeding into retail and wholesale channels.
- Lulu Group International: UAE-headquartered hypermarket and wholesale giant operating Lulu Hypermarkets and Lulu Cash & Carry across the GCC, India, and Asia. Direct competitor to Al Rawabi's Rawabi Hypermarket retail and Wholesale Plus cash-and-carry formats, with overlapping grocery, electronics, and household assortments.
- Al Meera Holding: Qatar's largest listed grocery retailer operating supermarkets and convenience stores across the country. Directly comparable to Al Rawabi's hypermarket and grocery wholesale footprint in the Qatari market, with overlapping consumer base and supplier relationships.
- Spar Qatar: Spar International franchisee operating supermarkets and hypermarkets across Qatar. Direct competitor to Rawabi Hypermarket on grocery and household assortments, sharing similar customer demographics and store-format strategy.
- Majid Al Futtaim Retail (Carrefour): Exclusive Carrefour franchisee across the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia operating hypermarkets and supermarkets. Competes directly with Rawabi Hypermarket in Qatar on grocery, electronics, and general merchandise, with significantly larger scale and omnichannel investment.
Emerging players
- Talabat (Delivery Hero): Leading on-demand food and grocery delivery platform in Qatar. While not a direct retail competitor, Talabat competes with Rawabi Shopping and Tasveek on online grocery delivery in the same Qatari consumer market, particularly on convenience and speed of fulfillment.
- Baladna: Qatar's largest dairy and food production company with growing retail and consumer-brand presence. Comparable to Al Rawabi's food manufacturing and private-label (Barkaas, Choice) strategy, with similar Qatar-market positioning and food security alignment.
Regional players
- Sharbatly Group: Major Saudi fresh-produce and food distribution company serving retail and foodservice customers. Comparable to Al Rawabi's Active Trading and Five Group Trading fresh, frozen, and chilled distribution operations, though focused on the Saudi market.
- Panda Retail (Savola Group): Saudi Arabia-based hypermarket and supermarket operator under Savola Group, also active in food manufacturing and distribution. Comparable to Al Rawabi's combined retail-plus-food-manufacturing-plus-distribution model, though concentrated in Saudi Arabia.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Al Rawabi Group social profiles
Digital presenceAl Rawabi Group financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Al Rawabi Group leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Al Rawabi Group subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries18 records
Al Rawabi Group funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Al Rawabi Group M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Al Rawabi Group
What does Al Rawabi Group do?
Al Rawabi Group is a diversified Qatari conglomerate that operates retail hypermarkets and electronics stores (Rawabi Hypermarket, Ajmal Electronics & Toys), cash-and-carry wholesale outlets (Wholesale Plus and allied entities), food manufacturing (Choice Food Factory producing English Oven bakery and Barkaas private-label dry goods), fresh and FMCG distribution (Active Trading, Five Group Trading), and a portfolio of restaurant brands (Hot Chicken, Hot Tea, Hilal Al Khaleej, Tasty Restaurant, Café Lovella). The group is anchored in Qatar, with GCC and international supply and sourcing spanning 45+ countries, and supports customers through both physical storefronts and the Rawabi Shopping e-commerce and Tasveek app channels.
Is Al Rawabi Group a public or private company?
Al Rawabi Group is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was Al Rawabi Group founded?
Al Rawabi Group was founded in 1980. It employs 5,001 to 10,000 people.
Where is Al Rawabi Group based?
Al Rawabi Group is headquartered in Doha, Qatar, in the Middle East region.
How does Al Rawabi Group make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Retail Operations are the primary driver. The others are wholesale Distribution, restaurant & Food Service, food Manufacturing and distribution & Logistics.
Who are Al Rawabi Group's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Nesto Group, United Foods Company, Lulu Group International, Al Meera Holding, Spar Qatar and Majid Al Futtaim Retail (Carrefour). Emerging players are Talabat (Delivery Hero) and Baladna. Regional players are Sharbatly Group and Panda Retail (Savola Group).
Does Al Rawabi Group have an API?
No public API is recorded for Al Rawabi Group.
What industry is Al Rawabi Group in?
Al Rawabi Group's product category is Diversified Conglomerate (Retail, Wholesale, Food Manufacturing, Distribution, Restaurants). Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAHADAB, Full-Assortment Hard Discounters, with a secondary code of CRAHAMAL, Bulk Frozen & Refrigerated Wholesale-to-Consumer. Its NAICS code is 4451 and its SIC code is 5141.