Baking & Snacks – INVESTMENTS, FUNDING & M&A

The new store resulted from close collaboration between Butter & Bread’s in-house design team and City Centre Deira’s operations staff.

The expansion includes a US$200 million investment intended to double production capacity at the Vineland facility, a multi‑component buildout including a Viennese pastries line, R&D centre, and culinary academy scheduled to begin operating in the second quarter of 2026.

The deal integrates Bake-Best’s specialized trays, designed with microwave-active susceptor technology to enhance food browning and crisping, into PaperTech’s sustainable packaging portfolio, offering eco-friendly alternatives to traditional CPET and polypropylene materials.

This move is driving renewed growth in the mature baking‑mix category through licensed partnerships.

The openings bring the Global Pizza chain Papa John’s total footprint in Kenya to 10 stores and form part of a broader strategy by local operator Express Kitchen to deepen market penetration after two years of operations in the country.