UAE is rapidly becoming the world’s most technology-savvy places in a very short period of time. This has been partly possible because of His Highness Shaikh Hamdan bin Mohammed Dubai, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of the Executive Council’s vision of making Dubai world’s smartest city.
Also, because of the entry of revolutionary apps like Cafu entering the UAE market opening up new avenues in the traditional market, Cafu has inspired giants like Government-owned Emirates National Oil Company (Enoc) to digitize their service with the announcement of the launch of their new application, Enoc Link. So let’s have a look at what Cafu really offers and how the new competition in the market, once Cafu dominated, will affect its business model.
Who Is Cafu and how does it work:
Cafu, a start-up that launched in 2018, permits users to replenish their car’s tank through the press of a button on their phone, aforementioned it had been validation to check an outsized ancient player enter the area of on-demand delivery.
At the moment Cafu offers refueling cars, motorcycles, and boats more convenient, reliable and accessible. These services the consumer can use via a one-time Order on Demand or buying a monthly subscription.
Launch of Enoc Link
On the announcement of the launch of Enoc Link, Cafu Founder, and CEO, Rashid Al Ghurair expressed excitement rather than being alarmed, as he believes that this will only help spread awareness about the service and enable growth for all the players financially and otherwise.
“Enoc will be spreading awareness of such a service, which will also help us to grow,” Al Ghurair said in an interview with Gulf News. “It’s like when Uber came here (to the UAE). They helped Careem, and Careem helped Uber, so they created an industry and awareness and pushed in the same direction.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised if I see more players adopting the same move.”
On the other hand, the CEO of Enoc’s quote on the launch sparked a debate on social media and “support our startups” the cry went around twitter in UAE. He said: “The difference between us and CAFU is safety. We’ve been in this business many years, and have trained our staff in case of all circumstances. There will be new regulations, and services will have to meet specifications. It is my understanding that only three main national oil companies (ENOC, ADNOC, and Emarat) can sell fuel in the UAE, and in the future, the government will regulate who is going to be in the market or not.”
However, Al Ghurair says that Dubai authorities have already been satisfied with the mitigation plans and safety standards of Cafu who is working alongside authorities such as Dubai Civil Defence and the Health and Safety Executive Council in the UK to ensure that they have the highest possible safety measures.
Al Ghurair said he was confident that the Dubai government’s vision of being among the top innovators by 2021 will be realized. Cafu would welcome new regulations that aim to ensure the best practices are in place.
Where Are Cafu Services Available in UAE:
Cafu at the moment is serving markets in Dubai, Sharjah, and Ajman. But Cafu plans expansion with over 100 trucks in its fleet already and with its constantly evolving technology, it will reach more users and even be able to reduce its delivery charges as a result.
“We’re always keeping our doors open for collaboration. We can always extend our AI (Artificial Intelligence) solutions to new players in this arena,” Al Ghurair said.
Cafu charges users the same price for fuel as they would find at petrol stations, but adds a Dh18 service charge. Reports hinted that Enoc, in comparison, would offer its service at a Dh10 delivery charge.
Cafu App is available for download on the Apple Store App Store and Google Play Store.
