PappaRoti: Wow! What a bun!

I am a latecomer to PappaRoti. At first, I was not attracted to the name and wondered what the whole fuss was about. All there was to see were empty plates or buns, more buns and nothing but buns! It was not so much the bun itself which caught my attention but the continuous flow of customers keeping the place always full. The crowds of people queuing up at all times of the day titillated my curiosity so much that I finally gave in and decided to go and see for myself. I was ready for the PappaRoti experience.
Contrary to most coffee shops, the list of drinks which are top notch far outnumbers the food items on the menu. In fact there is only one food item on the menu: a bun and to be more precise a “PappaRoti”, literally translated, “the father of all buns”, or in other words a unique bun. All the prices of the hot and cold drinks include a PappaRoti. If you want more than one, you can order an extra five pieces for SR 48 or 10 pieces for SR 90. They are not cheap but they are incredibly good. I finished my bun in no time. One moment the PappaRoti was there, a moment later, it had vanished!
The magic begins as soon as you taste a PappaRoti. In that first bite, you are hit by a profusion of sensations. This golden round bun is at the same time: crunchy, buttery and light! I fell immediately for the culinary charm of this hot, crunchy, not too sweet and not too salty bun with its fluffy texture and buttery taste. I still do not know how I managed to eat my first PappaRoti so fast! I felt it was all over before it even started and of course, I was back at the counter, to order some more PappaRoti!
As you stand in the queue, you are submerged by an enticing aroma and you will return for the sheer novelty of the taste: crunchy, soft, and perfect. And by the way, haven’t you become tired of eating croissants, muffins or cupcakes or donuts!
The person behind this incredible bun is Rasha Al-Danhani, a 34-year-old Emirati and a mother of four daughters. Al-Danhani studied entrepreneurship at Dubai Women’s College and graduated in 1998. She then worked in banking and real estate before managing her own spa for two years.
While Dubai was in deep recession, she was looking for a business that carried a potential for growth. During a trip to Malaysia, she discovered a bun. “I was thinking I need something which is new to the market and new to the UAE. Now people are always looking to the burger shop, the five-star burger. I wanted something you can have all the time, that’s a snack, but at the same time, it’s unique. When I tried the bun I liked it very much…I liked the taste and, you know the first bite: it’s crispy, from the top and it’s very fluffy inside and the smell — I am in love!“
After some research, she met the owner and asked about opening not just one shop but, setting up a master franchise for the entire Middle East. He was surprised at first but eventually agreed. Al-Danhani opened her first PappaRoti Café during Ramadan in the summer of 2009. People not only believed it was not the right time to start up a business but also opposed the idea of investing in food and beverage. But she was adamant that it was the right time and that people always need to eat even during a recession.
In the summer of 2009, she opened a kiosk at Dubai Mall, the biggest mall in the world. Five years later, PappaRoti was a successful international brand. Today PappaRoti has more than 200 outlets across the world. PappaRoti cafes and kiosks are present in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Yemen, Lebanon, Iraq, Egypt, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Libya, China, Korea, Philippines, Thailand, UK and Australia.
Last year, Al-Danhani won the Arab Woman Awards.
On that occasion she reiterated that “Crisis or not people love to enjoy good food. We had the right product which, along with the right marketing strategy and dose of dedication became a huge success. Dubai customers fell in love with PappaRoti at first bite just like I did the first time I had it in Malaysia.”
You can only understand why a PappaRoti is so much sought after once you have experienced the taste yourself. And you will like this coffee-caramel neither sweet-nor-salty bun. It is a snack you can eat anytime of the day. And it’s definitely not something you can have just once.
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