Muscat Municipality’s ‘Masar’ hub offers food trucks regulated spaces, utilities, seating, with Sohar International’s support/Image: X
Street food in Muscat is getting a formal address. With entrepreneurship on the rise and mobile dining gaining popularity, Muscat Municipality has introduced a dedicated food truck destination in Al Mawaleh, designed to provide small businesses room to grow while offering residents a more organized and enjoyable street food experience.
Initiative
The new food truck site has been launched under Muscat Municipality’s “Masar” initiative, a strategic effort aimed at supporting small and medium enterprises while bringing greater structure to street vending activities across the city. The project provides food truck operators with a regulated, fully serviced space where businesses can operate legally and consistently.
By addressing long-standing challenges such as a lack of approved locations and access to basic infrastructure, the initiative creates a more secure environment for entrepreneurs looking to enter the food sector. It also reflects the municipality’s broader focus on fostering entrepreneurship as part of its urban development strategy.
Visitor-focused design
Located in Al Mawaleh, the “Masar” food truck site has been carefully planned to serve both vendors and visitors. The area includes designated parking spaces for food trucks, shaded seating areas for customers, and access to essential utilities required for daily operations.These features help create a vibrant yet organized setting that enhances the overall visitor experience. At the same time, the structured layout supports better urban planning by reducing random roadside vending, improving traffic flow, and ensuring compliance with municipal regulations.
Sohar’s contribution
Sohar International played a central role in bringing the project to life through its corporate social responsibility program. As part of its contribution, the bank provided 25 fully equipped food trucks to operate at the Al Mawaleh site.This support significantly lowers startup costs for aspiring entrepreneurs, making it easier for individuals to launch food businesses without heavy initial investment. The contribution goes beyond financial assistance, offering practical tools that allow small businesses to begin operations immediately.
A broader impact
The collaboration between Muscat Municipality and Sohar International highlights a model where public planning and the private sector work together to deliver tangible economic opportunities. The “Masar” initiative not only strengthens the SME ecosystem but also brings order, safety, and consistency to street food vending.As the site begins operations, it represents a step toward a more structured approach to informal commerce, one that supports business growth while enhancing the quality of public spaces for residents and visitors alike. Go to Source
