Mars Gulf And Choithrams Launch 'It's MY Z-Store', A UAE-Wide Gen-Z Challenge To Redesign Part Of The Grocery Retail Store

(MENAFN- Mid-East Info) Gen Zs in the UAE are invited to pitch bold new store concepts, with winning ideas brought to life at select Choithrams stores and the top team winning a trip to London.

DUBAI, UAE - September, 2026 - Mars Gulf, in partnership with Choithrams, has launched“It's MY Z-Store”, a UAE-wide competition inviting the UAE youth, aged 18 to 24, to reimagine the grocery shopping experience and see their ideas brought to life in-store. From store layout to digital experiences, sustainability, and community-led design, the initiative challenges participants to build a retail concept designed for Gen Z by Gen Z. Open to teams of three to four,“It's MY Z-Store” gives participants the opportunity to solve a real business challenge with real-world impact. Shortlisted teams will receive mentoring from Mars and Choithrams leaders during the competition, helping them strengthen their concepts and understand the commercial considerations behind bringing new retail experiences to market. Ahmed Abdel Wahab, General Manager, Mars Gulf, said:“The future of retail will be shaped by a generation with very different expectations of how, where and why they shop. Rather than trying to predict what Gen Z wants, we want to give them a seat at the table and the opportunity to show us. Together with our partner Choithrams, we're creating a platform where fresh thinking can translate into real-world retail innovation, while giving our youth valuable exposure to how ideas move from concept to execution.” “This generation doesn't just want to be marketed to. They want to be involved in shaping what comes next,” said Himani Maharshi, People and Organization Director, Mars Middle East & Africa.“With 'It's MY Z-Store,' we are inviting the next generation to co-create a retail experience that reflects their expectations today, while building the skills and confidence that will support them in the workplace tomorrow.” Rod Maxfield, Group Head of Marketing, Choithrams, added:“At Choithrams, we are committed to creating retail experiences that stay relevant to the communities we serve. This competition brings Gen-Z into the process in a meaningful way, giving them a platform to share fresh ideas while helping shape convenience stores that better reflect how young people shop today.” “True retail transformation happens when leading FMCG brands and retailers move beyond traditional supplier relationships to co-create value. Partnering with Mars Gulf on 'It's MY Z-Store' enables us to unite Mars' global brand power and consumer insights with Choithrams' agile retail ecosystem. Together, we are not just listening to the next generation of shoppers, we are building commercially viable, future-ready store concepts that drive mutual category growth,” said Pankaj Sajnani, Commercial Head, Choithrams GCC. Why this matters now A generation shaping what comes next Gen Z is one of the most influential consumer groups in the region, not only because of how they engage with brands, but because of their scale. Deloitte's 2024 Gen Z and Millennial Survey reports that more than 60 percent of the Middle East's population is under the age of 30, with nearly half of UAE residents between the ages of 15 and 35. “It's MY Z-Store” is designed to translate this generational shift into a practical, hands-on challenge that supports the UAE's focus on youth development and future-ready skills under We the UAE Vision 2031. How the competition works: The competition will run across four themed stages, each linked to an iconic Mars brand:

Kellogg's Knockout: Team formation and early concepts Pringles Power-up: Mentorship with Mars and Choithrams experts Snickers Strategy: Deep concept development and refinement M&M's Mega Finale: Final presentations to a judging panel of senior leaders and decision-makers

Teams can also earn bonus points through Bounty Coins, a gamified system that rewards participants for completing additional challenges and going beyond the core brief. From pitch to in-store reality Unlike a typical competition,“It's MY Z-Store” is built around real-world implementation. Finalist teams will work with Mars Gulf and Choithrams mentors to strengthen their concepts, pressure-test feasibility, and refine their proposals ahead of the final pitch. The winning concept will then have the opportunity to move from pitch to reality, with elements brought to life at select Choithrams stores in the UAE. The winning team will also receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the Mars London office, complete with a factory visit and full city tour, offering further exposure to Mars and its global business. How to enter The competition will run from September to December 2026. Eligible participants can now register here. The closing date for applications is 21st September 2026. Updates and behind-the-scenes content will be shared via #ItsMYZStore across Mars and Choithrams social pages. ABOUT MARS, INCORPORATED Mars, Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today. As a $65bn+ family-owned business, our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day. We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN®, PEDIGREE®, WHISKAS®, CESAR®, M&M'S®, SNICKERS®, Pringles®, Cheez-It®, and BEN'S ORIGINALTM. Our international networks of pet hospitals, including BANFIELDTM, BLUEPEARLTM, VCATM and ANICURATM span preventive, general, specialty, and emergency veterinary care, and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics. The Mars Five Principles - Quality, Responsibility, Mutuality, Efficiency and Freedom - inspire our more than 170,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people, pets and the planet. ABOUT CHOITHRAMS: With over 50 years of experience, Choithrams has grown from a trusted supermarket retailer into one of the region's leading names in food retail and distribution. Since entering the UAE in 1974, Choithrams has expanded across the Gulf, with a strong presence in the UAE, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar. Today, we serve a diverse community through our supermarkets and digital platforms, offering a wide range of fresh food, groceries, household essentials and everyday products – with quality, value and convenience at the heart of what we do. Our experience across retail, distribution, manufacturing and trading gives us strong expertise across the food and FMCG sector, while our focus remains simple: to make everyday shopping easier and better for our customers. With decades of experience and a growing digital presence, we continue to evolve with the way our customers shop – bringing the Choithrams experience closer to you, wherever you are.

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