gullWe were thinking of opening a small bakery, but the model here is very different.”
The two thirty-somethings, whose bakery was selected this year among the ten best in Dubai by the local edition of Time Outhowever, say they have experienced a “Culture shock” upon their arrival. “We were thinking of opening a small bakery, but the model here is very different, continues Marla. Almost everything is done by delivery. You also pretty much have to be open all the time if you want to succeed. Even though we are the only ones making Liège waffles in Dubai, the competition from similar products is enormous. No one rests on what they’ve learned here. It’s sometimes difficult to find a balance between professional and private life.”
Marla and Denis also discovered the incredible multiculturality of Dubai. “We have Emirati, Indian, Russian, Belgian, Italian, Australian clients… There are a lot of prejudices about the Middle East in general, insists the young woman. However, we have rarely seen people so open. Everyone is respected in their culture.”
gull“To get started in Dubai, it’s very easy but you need to be well supported for everything administrative.”
Denis is always surprised by the fact that “Christmas is celebrated as much as Muslim, Hindu or other festivals”. “Ppersonally, I discovered lots of traditions from very different countries.”
The Belgian tourist agency which “unveils” the United Arab Emirates: “We like to break the prejudice which defines Dubai as an artificial city”
One of the other big advantages of Dubai is of course its taxation.super interesting compared to Belgium”. Employee income is not taxed, that of companies, only from a certain amount and at 9%. “There is also a 5% VATreminds Denis. Getting started in Dubai is very easy but you need to be well supported for everything administrative.” What does the entrepreneur miss most since his arrival in the Middle East? Being able to walk. “I used to go by bike or on foot to my job in Liège. It’s impossible here. Dubai looks like Los Angeles. Everything is made for cars.”
gullIt’s very hot and most of the time you can’t live without air conditioning. Just like you can’t live without heating in Belgium in winter.”
According to him, the emirate is not the ecological disaster that many describe. “Some people have this vision because there is abundance everywhere here. But Dubai is trying to find a good balance between growth and ecology, like many countries. It’s very hot and most of the time you can’t live without air conditioning. Just like you can’t live without heating in Belgium in winter. A lot of things are going in the direction of the energy transition in Dubai, including a lot of solar parks in the desert.” What about the future? The two Belgians live a bit from day to day. “Launching a bakery in Saudi Arabia, which is opening very quickly, tempts me quite well, launches Denis Or in Spain, a country that I love.”
An estimated 5,000 Belgians live in the United Arab Emirates. In Dubai, they meet regularly at the Belgian business council, with a busy schedule over the coming weeks. That of following the Red Devils matches on a giant screen during the next Euro football tournament in Germany. With, undoubtedly, on the menu, Liège waffles and Belgian beers.
