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Brooke Bellamy, founder of TikTok-viral Brisbane bakehouse Brooki, has announced a $25 million investment from UAE-based Arada Hospitality to drive the brand’s global expansion.
Launched in 2022 by the former travel writer, Brooki Bakehouse quickly built a major online following after Bellamy began sharing her recipes and business journey on TikTok, where she now has amassed more than 2 million followers.
The brand currently has five locations in Queensland, with stores in Chermside, Upper Mount Gravatt, Brisbane Airport and a flagship in Fortitude Valley, as well as one on the Gold Coast at Pacific Fair Shopping Centre.
In an announcement via LinkedIn, Bellamy shared that Arada has agreed to invest $25 million into Brooki to fuel international growth.
The first Brooki pop-up store is set to open in the UAE in late November, with locations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain. Two flagship stores will be opened in the first quarter of 2026.
“The investment comes alongside homegrown growth - with our sixth Brooki store due to open next week at Sydney Airport,” Bellamy said in a post on LinkedIn.
“We have also invested into a 660 sqm warehouse here in Brisbane to fuel production capabilities and create jobs in our local community as we build the Brooki team, keenly preparing to open additional stores in Australia.
“We can't wait to share the next phase of our journey and very much appreciate each and every word of support that has led us here to begin with.”
The business relationship with Arada came to fruition after Bellamy accepted an invitation to attend an international food festival in Abu Dhabi in December 2024.
From there, she accepted a meeting with Arada CEO Ahmed Alkhoshaibi, who was open to supporting Brooki’s global expansion. The company plans to launch into key markets across the UK, Europe and Asia.
Founded in 2017, Arada is a property developer jointly owned by Saudi Arabia’s Prince Al Waleed bin Talal and Ahmed Al Qasimi of Sharjah’s royal family.
According to the Arada website, it has 5,000 Australian homes in its project pipeline, totaling $4 billion in gross development value. The company has completed more than 10,000 homes worldwide.
“This investment in Brooki Bakehouse reflects Arada’s commitment to creating meaningful lifestyle experiences that connect people through culture, food and design, as well as our track record of investing in and expanding best-in-class Australian brands overseas,” Alkhoshaibi said.
“Our investment will enable Brooki to scale its reach into new markets, particularly in regions where Arada operates, including the UAE and the UK, while strengthening its base in Australia.”
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