Our Work // ArticleExpanding into New Markets: Building Your Culture-Proof Strategy
Expanding into a new market is never just about logistics. It's about people, how they think, what they value, and how they connect. Numbers might open a door, but trust and cultural fluency decide whether it stays open.
At Coana, preparing brands to enter new markets isn't theoretical work, it's grounded in lived experience across regions. We've seen firsthand how growth depends on more than a strong business model. It depends on being understood, not just as a company, but as people.
Why cross-market expansion matters now
Global markets are transforming faster than ever. Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 is reorienting an entire economy. The UAE is pushing ahead with diversification and innovation. Qatar is investing in its post-World Cup legacy. Southeast Asia is seeing explosive digital growth. Latin America is redefining consumer expectations.
In the Arab region and North Africa specifically:
The GCC region's combined GDP has surpassed $2 trillion, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading growth
The UAE ranks among the top 20 easiest places to do business globally
Consumer markets are young, digital, and globally connected - more than 60% of the population is under 30
The opportunity is undeniable across these markets. But size alone doesn't guarantee success. To thrive in any new region, you need more than a business case, you need the cultural fluency to translate your brand into a market that values relationships, symbolism, and trust as much as performance.
Two things to know before you expand
Before entering a new market, there are two realities you should understand clearly. Missing them is not just a small oversight - it's the difference between building trust and missing the market entirely.
1. It is not one market.
Regions are often spoken about as if they were a single business environment. In reality, they're a mosaic of very different cultures, economies, and consumer expectations.
Take the Arab region as an example: while written Arabic is shared, every country - and often every city - has its own dialect. Unlike Spanish, where the differences are mainly accents and expressions, Arabic dialects can diverge so much that speakers from different regions may struggle to fully understand one another.
If language varies this widely, it should be no surprise that behavior, buying patterns, and cultural codes do too. Riyadh is not Dubai. London is not Paris. Mexico City is not São Paulo. Treating them as the same is one of the fastest ways to lose relevance.
2. Relationships matter more than transactions.
While businesses everywhere compete on price points, promotions, and transactional efficiency, in many markets these are never the only drivers. Regions shaped by collectivist societies - whether in the Levant, North Africa, Latin America, or parts of Asia - prioritize culture, connection, and bonds of trust often as much as, or more than, a spreadsheet or a discount.
A polished deck of numbers is persuasive, but it's the story, the respect you show, and the human qualities of your brand that carry the most weight. Entering any region with a purely transactional mindset misses the essence of how business is done and how trust is earned.
A conversation worth starting
Preparing your brand to enter new markets isn't theory - it's practical work rooted in cultural fluency and strategic planning. This might mean developing a full brand and launch strategy to prepare for expansion, or re-grounding an existing brand in heritage and values so it can connect more deeply.
Either way, the belief is the same: growth lasts when it's built on respecting the people you serve and work with.
If you're exploring expansion into new markets - whether MENA, Latin America, or beyond let's talk about how to build a strategy that actually fits.