Marks & Spencer to Open Largest Overseas Foodhall in Dubai

Marks & Spencer will open its largest food store outside the United Kingdom at Dubai Festival City in December. The Foodhall is the first of five large-format stores planned in the UAE over the next 12 months with franchise partner Al-Futtaim.

The new format will introduce a dedicated Fruit Butcher counter for in-store fruit preparation, alongside rotisserie chicken and sushi counters. It will also mark the first international launch of Marks & Spencer’s flowers business, while expanding the retailer’s food-to-go and freshly prepared offer beyond traditional supermarket retail.

The Foodhall will carry more than 3,500 core Marks & Spencer Food products alongside around 500 locally sourced items, including halal protein and fresh produce. The range will combine products from more than 200 UK suppliers with local partners including Let’s Eat and Domus, while prices are being reduced across more than half of the retailer’s UAE Foodhall range.

Marks & Spencer said the large-format concept is designed to support its international expansion, although additional locations beyond the planned five-store UAE rollout have not yet been announced. The Dubai Festival City opening will serve as the first test of the expanded format and its mix of fresh preparation, local sourcing and hospitality features.