CAFU bet fuel stations could become an app service

CAFU provides app-based fuel delivery and vehicle services such as car wash, battery, tyre, oil-change and emergency support.

Drivers and fleets would pay for fuel and car services to come to them, turning a fixed petrol-station habit into a mobile logistics app.

Dh100M initial investment by 2019.

Rashid Al Ghurair, already an oil-and-gas operator, started conceptualizing CAFU in late 2017 after asking why energy retail had not been rebuilt around mobile technology.

By early 2019, CAFU had launched in Dubai and expanded to Sharjah and Ajman with 80 trucks and 200 pilots. It later added services around car ownership, including washes, batteries and tyres.

By 2025 CAFU was reportedly exploring a first stake sale while reintroducing delivery charges, a sign that the convenience model had scaled but still had to prove durable unit economics.

The pain point was simple and frequent: queuing for fuel wasted time for both individuals and fleets.

CAFU's founder had energy-sector knowledge, which mattered in a regulated, safety-heavy logistics business.

The app was only the front door; trucks, pilots and routing were the operating core.

Reintroducing delivery fees showed the difference between proving demand and proving profitable demand.

A convenience startup can hide hard logistics under a simple app; the real test is whether customers keep paying once subsidies and free delivery fade.

As of 2026-09-16, CAFU remained active as a UAE-born on-demand vehicle-services platform. Its Google Play listing showed 1M+ downloads, while 2025 reporting said it was weighing a first stake sale.