As part of the US-Bahrain Free Trade Agreement 10th Anniversary celebrations, the American Chamber of Commerce in Bahrain (AmCham Bahrain) participated in the grand opening of Zpizza, alongside Timothy Pounds, Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Bahrain.
Zpizza, which is located in Al Sultan Mall, Zayed Town, is the first artisan-inspired pizza chain that appeals to traditional pizza lovers, health-conscious consumers and gourmet palates in Bahrain.
During brief remarks delivered before the ribbon cutting, Qays H. Zu’bi, President of AmCham Bahrain, stated “Zpizza is an FTA success story. In addition to being a California-based franchise, any ingredients, restaurant appliances and other required items sourced from the U.S. enter Bahrain duty free. This contributes to the company’s bottom line and good value of Zpizza’s unique and delicious product.”
Mr. Zu’bi added “Zpizza not only brings a new delicious and nutritious pizza concept to Bahrain, but it also brings new jobs and opportunities to the Kingdom. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) have become a vital part of Bahrain’s private sector and contribute substantially to the Government of Bahrain goal of greater economic diversification. The entrepreneurial spirit behind the creation of Zpizza in California in 1986, the development of Zpizza into a global franchise, and now the opening of the first Zpizza in Bahrain, are all milestones worthy of celebration. With consumers’ growing demand for both delicious taste and good health, Zpizza is set for success.”
The Bahrain-U.S. Free Trade Agreement is marking its 10th anniversary this year and the FTA is going strong. Bilateral trade reached more than 2 billion dollars in 2015. Companies and consumers in Bahrain and the U.S. benefit from the FTA in many ways, including through duty free trade in consumer, industrial and agricultural products; substantial market access across the entire services sector; strong protection and enforcement for copyright, patent, and trademark owners and intellectual property protection in the digital environment, supporting electronic media and Internet service providers, increased transparency and efficiency in customs administration, including publication of laws and regulations on the Internet and procedural certainty and fairness. All of these benefits create a ripe environment for promoting bilateral trade and investment.
Mr. Zu’bi emphasized, “AmCham Bahrain and the U.S. Embassy are committed to helping both American and Bahraini companies leverage the FTA to increase bilateral trade.”