Blueprint for a more resilient food economy
The third edition of the UAE Restaurants Group Food Service Forum convened on 15 September 2026 at JW Marriott Marina in Dubai. Its theme — ‘Blueprint for the Next Food Economy’ — linked operational priorities to the UAE’s wider push to grow food and beverage’s GDP contribution and job creation. Restaurant operators, hospitality leaders, technology providers and suppliers gathered for a programme built around practical business decisions, not abstract trends.
The UAE foodservice market was valued at approximately USD 23.21 billion in 2025, according to specialist market research. It is projected to reach roughly USD 61.21 billion by 2031, driven by surging tourism, a large expatriate base and government hospitality investment under the ‘We the UAE 2031’ vision. Sector forecasts point to a compound annual growth rate of around 9.70% through 2035, per market advisory data. However, rising input costs and intense competition from cloud kitchens and delivery platforms create real pressure on margins.
UAERG Chairman Abdulla AlMulla opened the Forum, framing resilience as a strategic issue. He positioned the UAE as an emerging global gastronomic hub. Pricing decisions, expansion planning and regulatory alignment all featured in his opening remarks.
What does the Forum signal for investors and operators?
The CEO panel — titled ‘Beyond the Kitchen: Building Businesses That Endure’ — moved the conversation firmly into boardroom territory. Leaders explored unit-level profitability, expansion pacing, talent models and technology deployment. The emphasis fell on repeatable operating systems over one-off fixes. As one participant observation captured it: the UAE foodservice sector is entering a phase where resilience comes less from new concepts and more from better-run businesses.
Four masterclasses then broke down the sector’s key pressure points. The first addressed cost and margin management, reflecting markets where food, labour and occupancy costs are climbing. A second focused on nationalisation and talent retention, aligned with domestic labour policy and the reality of high staff churn. A third examined technology and customer engagement, set against data showing double-digit growth in delivery orders and the spread of loyalty-driven digital ecosystems. The fourth tackled supply chain volatility and sustainability, linking procurement resilience and local sourcing to both cost control and investor expectations.
The Forum’s structure reflected a broader shift in how the sector operates. UAERG, a not-for-profit body representing leading food and beverage brands, used the event to reinforce practical leadership and operational agility as the industry enters its next growth phase.
For investors, three themes emerged. Operational quality is now a clearer differentiator than brand count, favouring groups with disciplined margin management. Technology spend will remain essential, but returns depend on integration with unit-level processes. Supply chain strategies that blend local sourcing and waste reduction offer both risk mitigation and brand upside as food security gains prominence.
Executives and policymakers will be watching closely over the next 12 to 24 months to see how many operators convert Forum insights into measurable gains in margins, staff retention and customer loyalty.
Quick answers
The UAE foodservice market was valued at approximately USD 23.21 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach around USD 61.21 billion by 2031, according to specialist market research.
UAERG is a not-for-profit industry body representing leading food and beverage brands in the UAE. It convenes operators, hospitality leaders and suppliers to advance practical business standards across the sector.
The Forum focused on four pressure points: cost and margin management, nationalisation and talent retention, technology and customer engagement, and supply chain resilience and sustainability.
