DESIGNING FOOD INTEGRATED BRANDS

THANANI
Overview
Thanani is an Arabic style tapas restaurant that uses European cooking techniques to create modern
Arabic dishes. Located in the new Al Zorah development in Ajman, Thanani boasts unrivaled views of
the surrounding creek and mangroves and a menu reflective of the seasons.
Brief and Objectives
To design and develop a modern Arabic brand that is contemporary and sophisticated
To design a brand that will benefit Ajman’s dining scene
Target audience: mid-market to high net worth Emirati and GCC nationals, young adults and
other expatriates
Strategy
Thanani will be the first foray into the F&B industry for owners, MAZ Investment, who approached
Figjam with the intent to develop a new Arabic food concept.
When work began on developing the strategy and narrative there was a very visible gap in the market
for a high-end Arabic brand, hence Thanani was born, where sophisticated, contemporary Arabic dining
meets a comfortable, sharing, tapas experience.
Arabic flavours abound in modern dishes that are elegantly plated and subtle Arabic influenced
features are prominent in a chic, clean, overall design.
Several private dining areas are available throughout the restaurant catering to ladies and families
as well as those looking for a more personalised experience.
A sleek black and white colour palette is blended seamlessly with a secondary palette of warm browns
drawing inspiration from the stunning landscape.
Results
Construction on Thanani is underway and the restaurant will open in Q2 2016 on the top floor of the
new Al Zorah development in Ajman. Styled as a rooftop lounge Thanani presents a high end
dining experience, a contemporary café/bar serving modern Arabic small dishes, or tapas, and
elegant non-alcoholic beverages.
Thanani is authentic Arabic ingredients combined with European cooking techniques and plating styles,
resulting in striking dishes worthy of a Michelin star. The additional aspect of complementing these
dishes with an international non-alcoholic beverage menu brings a brand to the local food scene that
has not existed before.
Drawing heavily from seasonal inspiration and ingredients, Thanani uses only the best quality
produce in both the food and beverage menus, sourced locally wherever possible. Dishes are planned
to combine and complement flavours shaped from traditional Arabic tastes and aromas. The halal
certified non-alcoholic beverages include an extensive wine list to make any sommelier proud and
specialty crafted mocktails to suit any palate.
In keeping with the high end menu the brand design for Thanani is clean, simple and stylish. Straight
lines, gentle colours and modern patterns integrate with the outdoor landscape, benefitting from its top
floor vantage point Thanani overlooks the mangrove forest and lagoons, an extraordinary
backdrop of undisturbed ecosystem.