Food & Drink Five Guys to expand in the UAE Fast food chain Five Guys is gearing up to make its debut in Sharjah and Al Ain as it looks to build on its network of outlets across the UAE. The US burger brand is also planning to develop its cloud kitchen network which began in the UAE at the height of the coronavirus pandemic. […] September 29, 2022
How I got to the top Food & Drink Fernando Trocca, Masterchef Argentinian-born restaurateur Fernando Trocca is masterchef at Sucre, an international restaurant chain. Known for its open-fire cooking, the Latino eatery has repeatedly made its way onto the world’s 50 Best Latin American restaurants. A second location opened in London in 2021, and its newest dining space has just launched in Dubai International Financial Centre. What do you […] September 9, 2022
Analysis Food & Drink Gulf serves up locally farmed salmon – and better food security From the old man who dredged up a djinn to the boy who netted an emerald, fishermen populate the folk stories of the Arab world. But the dhow fleets of the Gulf no longer provide a lifeline for local economies. By contrast, aquaculture – the farming of fish, shellfish and aquatic plants – has begun […] August 23, 2022
Economy From chicken to weddings, Saudi prices continue to soar From meat and vegetables to the cost of events such as weddings, consumer prices in Saudi Arabia continue to rise, as inflation reached 2.7 percent year-on-year in July. The biggest increase was in the food and beverage segment, which rose 3.9 percent, mainly on the back of meat prices increasing 5.1 percent, the General Authority […] August 18, 2022
Exclusive Tech UAE agtech startup aims to disrupt $500bn fodder industry A UAE agtech startup is aiming to disrupt the $500 billion livestock feed industry, as prices rise on the back of supply chain disruptions caused by the Ukraine war. The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations reported last week that, while the FAO Food Price Index declined 8.6 percent month-on-month in July […] August 17, 2022
Food & Drink Healthy fast food startups aim to tackle growing GCC obesity Following its success in Dubai and Saudi Arabia, health food eat-in and home delivery company Under500 is set to expand to Qatar. The firm’s low-calorie meals – served in franchised venues across the UAE and Saudi Arabia and via online delivery services such as Talabat and Deliveroo – are to be ordered by customers in Doha through delivery […] August 15, 2022
Analysis Food & Drink The sky’s the limit for cloud kitchens in the Gulf While many businesses suffered due to the coronavirus pandemic, cloud kitchens – companies that prepare food solely for home delivery without having sit-down restaurant space – were beneficiaries of the online ordering boom. The GCC has been a hotspot for this growth with companies including Sweetheart Kitchen, Kitopi, KLC Virtual Restaurants and kaykroo overseeing delivery […] August 12, 2022
Opinion Food & Drink Restaurateurs beware: diners may choke on your price rises The food and drink sector contends with fluctuations in both customer income and the cost of food, energy, and rent August 9, 2022
Food & Drink Meet the Irishman selling ice in the desert In the ever-competitive Dubai bar and restaurant market, a new supplier has launched this week, aiming to offer venues another unique selling point: high quality, hand-cut ice. Since he officially launched on August 1, John Gillespie, founder of Artisan Ice Co., has been targeting the top 30 venues in the city and he said the […] August 6, 2022
Banking & Finance Fast food operator Americana appoints HSBC to advise on IPO The Middle East and North Africa franchisee of fast-food restaurants KFC and Pizza Hut has added HSBC to its syndicate of advisers for its potential dual listing this year, two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. Americana Group has hired HSBC as a joint bookrunner on the initial public offering (IPO), which could value […] August 1, 2022
Analysis Food & Drink Poor Arab nations face hunger despite Ukraine grain deal Middle East and African countries dependent on Ukrainian grain face the prospect of crippling food insecurity, hunger and misery, despite a deal to restart exports blockaded amid the Russian war. Moscow’s promises may prove unreliable, while skyrocketing grain prices could spell dire outcomes for the region’s hungriest and most vulnerable nations, experts told AGBI. The […] July 28, 2022
Food & Drink UAE restaurants call for rent cap as inflation bites UAE restaurant operators have called on the government to introduce a cap on how much landlords can increase rents. A survey carried out last month by the UAE Restaurant Group (URG), a trade body which represents around 15,000 outlets, found that 63 percent of respondents said rent renegotiations was their biggest focus for 2022, followed […] July 21, 2022
Tech Emirates-US joint venture opens world’s largest vertical farm Emirates Flight Catering (EKFC) and US-based Crop One have announced the opening of Bustanica, the world’s largest hydroponic farm, backed by an investment of $40 million. The facility is the first vertical farm for Emirates Crop One, the joint venture between the two companies, and is located near Al Maktoum airport at Dubai World Central. […] July 18, 2022
Analysis Food & Drink UAE restaurants bite back against Covid Most restaurants in the UAE are in a better financial position this year than they were before the pandemic, according to new data. Local eateries have bounced back with aplomb despite rising inflationary costs, a survey from the UAE Restaurant Group (URG) has revealed. URG, a trade body which represents around 15,000 outlets, said 69 percent […] July 18, 2022
Analysis Food & Drink Gulf firms tap thirst for no-alcohol drinks On St Patrick’s Day this year Irish drinks brand Guinness seized the opportunity to promote one of its biggest innovations since its launch in 1759. Four years in the making, Guinness 0.0, a non-alcoholic version of the famous stout brew – first launched in the UK and Ireland in 2020 – has now gone global. […] July 16, 2022
Exclusive Tech Red Sea Farms ploughs new ground as investments soar Saudi-based Red Sea Farms is planning to ride the wave of increased global investments in agricultural technology by organising a Series A funding round later this year. The move follows an oversubscribed Pre-Series A round last year of $16 million and also a recent strategic raise of $18.5 million. “The proceeds of our successful fundraise […] July 12, 2022
Exclusive Tech Pure Harvest aims to grow UAE’s next $1bn unicorn startup “Why did such a promising young man leave Silicon Valley to grow tomatoes in the desert?”. It’s a question Stanford University business graduate and former private equity investor Sky Kurtz says he gets asked a lot, even by his own father-in-law. “My wife’s father thought I’d lost my mind. He was literally like, ‘there’s something […] July 4, 2022
Exclusive Food & Drink $500-an-hour sobriety coach helps Dubai’s big drinkers Dubai’s work-hard, play-hard expat party lifestyle, and its famous all-you-can-drink weekend brunches can be the perfect breeding ground for potential alcoholics, according to the founder of a new $500-an-hour sober coaching service. British sober and recovery coach, David Golding, relocated to Dubai nearly four months ago and has launched Sober Lifestyle Coaching, a 13-week recovery […] July 1, 2022
Food & Drink Reviving the ancient tradition of wine-making in Egypt Egypt’s revival of its tourism sector following the coronavirus pandemic impacts on its wine industry as well as its expanding hotel sector. Today, popular wine brands in the country include Omar Khayyam, Ayyam, Shahrazade, and Beausoleil, which are served in many of Egypt’s hotels, resorts and the bars in some of the more upmarket neighbourhoods. They’re […] June 30, 2022
Food & Drink Saudi prince backs $40m funding for dairy replacement producer KBW Ventures, the venture capital firm founded by Saudi Arabia’s Prince Khaled bin Alwaleed, was one of the prime investors in a $40 million fundraising round by a Californian company that is aiming to become the world’s first true plant-based dairy replacement producer. Oakland-based Eclipse Foods was founded in 2019 by chef Thomas Bowman and […] June 30, 2022
Opinion Food & Drink Being Michelin rated is more than just an accolade Dubai's fine diners are not the only people to benefit from Michelin star quality June 29, 2022
Food & Drink Chef Jason Atherton opens fine dining restaurant in Jeddah A new Mediterranean restaurant in Jeddah is bringing a fine dining experience to the city thanks to a partnership between English chef Jason Atherton and Saudi businessman Abdelkarim Abbar. Located at the newly opened Jeddah Yacht Club on the Red Sea, Marina Social, operated by Atherton and owned by Abbar, opened on June 19. Atherton’s […] June 22, 2022
