Your First 2 Pallets Could Cost You the Next 10 - UAE / Middle East / GCC Import Approach

Every day, I receive multiple messages from founders and brand teams asking for help unlocking customers and distributors in the Middle East. They recognise the immense opportunity in this fast-growing region, from Dubai’s luxury hospitality sector to the wider GCC’s evolving alcohol market. They want to break in, secure deals, and establish their brands.

But when I ask a simple question—‘How many mutual contacts or strong distributor relationships do you have in your home market?’—the answer is often:?‘It’s a work in progress.’ and this is ok, building a brand is not easy but entering new markets is often about timing and aligning the chess pieces before making the next move.

As Sophie S D Cookson discusses below, product pushing does not work!

If You Can’t Win at Home, Why Would You Win Abroad?

Expanding into the Middle East isn’t about chasing an untapped market because local sales are slow—it’s about leveraging success to scale internationally. Yet, many founders are looking abroad before they’ve built a solid foundation at home.

Here’s why?winning at home first?matters, or as Chris Maffeo refers to as 'Building Bottom up:

1???Proven Sales Success Attracts Regional Partners Distributors in the Middle East, like anywhere else, want?proof of demand?before they take a risk on a new brand. If your product isn’t selling well in your home market, why should a distributor thousands of miles away believe it will succeed here?

2???Strong Home Networks Open Regional Doors If you’ve built a solid base of customers, advocates, and partners in your home country, you’ll likely have industry connections that extend internationally. Many successful Middle East launches start with a recommendation or introduction from a mutual contact.

3???Operational Maturity Reduces Risk Scaling internationally means dealing with compliance, logistics, and localised marketing challenges. If you haven’t refined your supply chain and go-to-market strategy in a familiar environment, tackling a complex region like the Middle East is a recipe for frustration.

4???The Middle East is Not a ‘Fix’ for Poor Performance Elsewhere Some founders look to the GCC as a last resort when local sales are weak. The reality? Entering the Middle East is expensive, competitive, and unforgiving for brands that haven’t validated their model elsewhere.

It’s not a shortcut to success—it’s a strategic move for?already thriving brands.

How to Position Yourself for Success in the Middle East

??Win a few battles in your Home Market First Before looking abroad, ensure your brand has strong traction at home. Build demand, scale sales, and solidify distributor relationships where you have the most control.

??Develop Industry Connections The best way to enter the Middle East is through warm introductions. If you have zero overlap with the market today, start by building global relationships in your home region—industry events, collaborations, and mutual contacts will open doors later.

??Demonstrate Demand and Scalability Be ready to show evidence of success—strong sales numbers, repeat customers, and distributor endorsements. Distributors in the Middle East want?low-risk, high-reward?brands.

??Invest in Local Expertise Once you’re ready, work with partners who?understand the regulatory, logistical, and market challenges?of the region. Craft & Culture’s?Access Middle East?service helps brands navigate this landscape with strategic stock positioning, local compliance support, and regional introductions.

??Stock in region This is a big one, timing stock position is never easy and often carries a risk but a multi city / regional strategy can drastically reduce the risk of a single distributor model. Exciting end consumers and on trade partners when your stock is 3/6 months away is difficult and the shine often falls on the initial interest and demand read if your order fulfilment is inefficient. A big reason for this can be friction within regional supply chain so take control and position inventory to support current and future demand.

Craft & Culture: Only Partnering with Brands We Can Help Succeed

At?Craft & Culture, we don’t just work with any brand—we only work with those we know we can help succeed. It’s not about bringing a huge network or a bottomless budget. Often, what truly leads to success is?the will to succeed, investment in time and resources, and a collaborative approach to developing and opening distribution points in the region.

If you’re just looking to push product, think again. That one or two pallets you force into the market without strategy could cost you the next ten. Success in the Middle East isn’t about short-term sales—it’s about sustainable growth, brand-building, and creating long-term relationships with the right partners.

Final Thought: The Right Time to Expand

The Middle East is an exciting, high-growth market, but it’s not a silver bullet for brands struggling elsewhere. The best time to expand here is when your business is already winning at home and you have the credibility, demand, and infrastructure to support international growth.

However.... It is good to talk, we operate an open door policy and are happy to share our knowledge and educate Founders and brand teams on the possibilities and challenges within region - Feel free to reach out!

If you’re serious about the Middle East, ask yourself:?Would I bet on my own brand as a distributor??If the answer isn’t a confident ‘Yes,’ focus on mastering your home market first. Then, when the time is right, let’s talk.