UAE-headquartered cloud kitchen platform Kitopi has secured $50 million in growth capital in a round led by EvolutionX, a private credit platform backed by Temasek and DBS Bank. This investment marks EvolutionX’s first entry into the Gulf Cooperation Council market and reflects growing interest from global investors in Middle East based tech enabled companies.
EvolutionX specialises in providing less dilutive capital solutions to high growth, technology led businesses. Its backing of Kitopi reflects confidence in the company’s business model, which blends technology, operations and culinary services across its cloud kitchen network in multiple GCC markets.
A Profitable Growth Stage
The funding comes at a time when Kitopi is building on recent profitability, a milestone that sets it apart from many growth stage food tech companies. Industry reporting indicates that the company has achieved sustainable unit economics, which supported its ability to attract growth capital aligned with long term expansion rather than short term scaling.
Kitopi plans to use the capital to expand its homegrown brands across high growth markets, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Kuwait. The company also intends to accelerate its regional and international franchising strategy as part of its next phase of growth.
Kitopi’s Market Position and Reach
Founded in 2018, Kitopi has grown into one of the region’s largest food and beverage ecosystems by combining technology with food preparation, logistics and delivery operations. The company operates more than 200 locations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain, supporting both delivery only and dine in formats.
Kitopi also runs its own proprietary technology stack, SKOS, which is used to manage kitchen operations, data and customer insights across its network.
Strategic Implications
The investment by EvolutionX reflects a broader shift in the MENA startup ecosystem, where investors are increasingly prioritising profitability and sustainable growth over aggressive valuation driven funding rounds. For Kitopi, the new capital provides additional runway to strengthen its regional presence while advancing its ambition to build scalable food brands with global reach.
