Ajman: Blends & Brews Coffee Shoppe opens 24th outlet
Ajman: The latest outlet of Blends & Brews Coffee Shoppe, the UAE-born chain of international coffee shops owned by Thumbay Group, was inaugurated at the Department of Land & Real Estate Regulation, Al Jurf, Ajman on Monday (18th June). The outlet also had the privilege of welcoming H.E. Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Nasser Al Nuaimi, Director of the Office of H.H. Sheikh Abdul Aziz bin Humaid Al Nuaimi andH.E. Yafea AlFaraj, General Director of the Department of Land & Real Estate Regulation, in the presence of Mr. Farhad. C – Director of Thumbay Group’s Hospitality Division, at the inaugural function.
Introducing the new technology that lets customers get their photos printed on their lattes and cappuccinos, Blends & Brews marked the ‘Year of Zayed’ by printing the photograph of the late His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, the Founding Father of the UAE, in the first coffee made at the inaugural function.
Welcoming Blends & Brews to the Department of Land & Real Estate Regulation, H.E. Yafea Al Faraj said, “We are happy to have Blends & Brews Coffee Shoppe here, to serve the employees and visitors at the department. The outlet has an impressive design and good taste.”
A fast-growing chain of coffee shops with ambitious global expansion plans, Blends & Brews operates multiple coffee shops in the UAE, in addition to an outlet in Hyderabad – India. The growing popularity of the brand has ensured its presence in major shopping malls, offices, universities, government offices, hospitals, health clubs, etc. and the numbers are growing. It has a drive-thru outlet in Ajman, as well as ELITE outlets catering to upmarket customers.
Riding high-on its reputation built over the years, Blends & Brews is pursuing an ambitious expansion plan in the Middle East region, Africa and India, in line with Thumbay Group’s strategic plans. “The strategic plan of Thumbay Group includes the addition of 100 Blends & Brews outlets by 2022, and extend franchise offers to partners in countries including India and the MENA region,” said Dr. Thumbay Moideen, Founder President of Thumbay Group, adding, “We are confident that our UAE-born brand will find acceptance the world over.”
In addition to hot and cold beverages including its signature blends, Blends & Brews also has a short-eats menu designed in accordance with the local palate, to ensure quick service to customers without having them wait. Blends & Brews also has its own range of sugar-free delicacies including drinks, cookies and cakes. The stores are designed as attractive open spaces and the interiors are coffee-themed, based on the concept of modernity. The Baristas are professionals who are keen on giving customers a taste of the brand’s values, besides great coffee.
Commenting on the new coffee shop, Mr. Farhad C, Director of the Hospitality Division of Thumbay Group said, “Like all our other outlets, the new Blends & Brews coffee shoptoo endeavors to provide the best and most satisfying coffee experience to customers. As the brand is growing, our priority is to maintain quality and consistency. We are in the process of innovating new beverages and food menus in line with the trends of the seasons. Moreover, we are focusing on staff quality and retention as well as increased efficiency and profitability.”
About Thumbay Group
Established by the Founder President Dr. Thumbay Moideen in 1998, today Thumbay Group is a diversified international business conglomerate headquartered in Dubai, with presence across 20 sectors of business including Education, Healthcare, Medical Research, Diagnostics, Retail Pharmacy, Health Communications, Retail Opticals, Wellness, Nutrition Stores, Hospitality, Real Estate, Publishing, Technology, Media, Events, Medical Tourism, Trading and Marketing & Distribution. Thumbay Group follows a strategic plan, according to which the Group aims to expand its businesses over ten times, with global presence. The strategic vision plan aims to increase the employee strength to 25,000 by the year 2022.
Hospitality Division
The Hospitality Division of Thumbay Group operates three different brands: The Terrace Restaurant, Blends & Brews Coffee Shoppe, and Body & Soul Health Club & Spa. The Terrace Restaurant is a multi-cuisine restaurant chain operating multiple outlets across Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and Fujairah. Blends & Brews Coffee Shoppe has outlets in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah and Hyderabad (India). Body & Soul Health Club & Spa operates five clubs in the UAE, including ‘ELITE’ and ‘LADIES ONLY’ facilities, offering extensive sports, recreation, fitness, health, social and youth programs, with the sixth club slated to open in Fujairah shortly.
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Air India, Air India Express to levy fuel surcharge on tickets; airfares to rise
New Delhi (PTI): Airfares are set to rise with Air India and Air India Express deciding to levy a fuel surcharge of Rs 399 on each domestic flight ticket from March 12 and also hike the charge for international bookings due to a steep rise in jet fuel prices amid the Middle East conflict.
The new fuel surcharges will be implemented in a phased manner.
Regretting the need for fuel surcharges, Air India on Tuesday said that without such surcharges, "it is likely that some flights would be unable to cover operating costs and would have to be cancelled".
In the first phase, a fuel surcharge of Rs 399 per domestic flight ticket would be imposed from March 12, and the same will also be applicable for SAARC flights, a statement said on Tuesday.
For West Asia flights, the fuel surcharge will be USD 10 and hiked by USD 30 to USD 90 for Africa flights and by USD 20 to USD 60 for Southeast Asia services.
All these changes will be effective from March 12, including for flights to and from Singapore. Currently, there is no fuel surcharge for Singapore services.
In the second phase, Air India will increase the fuel surcharge by USD 25 to USD 50 for flights to Europe, North America and Australia starting from March 18.
Fuel surcharge for Europe flights will rise to USD 125 from USD 100, and for North America flights, the same will increase from USD 150 to USD 200.
As per the statement, the fuel surcharge for Australia flights will increase from USD 150 to USD 200.
Currently, Air India Express does not levy fuel surcharges on any of its flights.
"Air India group today announced a phased expansion of a fuel surcharge on its domestic and international routes, necessitated by the steep rise in jet fuel prices arising from the geopolitical situation in the Gulf region," the statement said.
Since early March 2026, the statement that Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF), which accounts for nearly 40 per cent of an airline's operating costs, has seen significant price escalation due to supply interruptions.
"In India, this pressure is amplified by high Excise Duty and VAT on ATF in major metro cities such as Delhi and Mumbai, magnifying the cost impact and placing substantial strain on airline operating economics," it said.
For the avoidance of doubt, the statement said that tickets that have already been issued prior to the above times will not attract the new surcharge unless customers seek date or itinerary changes that require a recalculation of the fare.
There was no announcement regarding fuel surcharges from IndiGo, SpiceJet and Akasa Air.
