Experts have noted that the Expo 2020 Dubai event is going to be a great moment and opportunity for the F&B sector in the UAE

The total number of food establishments operating across Dubai will reach 20,000 before October this year, new data has revealed.

According to the Dubai Municipality, 1,303 new food establishments opened in Dubai during 2020, at the rate of 3.5 establishments per day.

Sultan Al Taher, director of the Food Inspection Section at Dubai Municipality, said that the total number of food establishments in Dubai at the end of last year reached 19,259, which is expected to reach 20,000 before October 2021.

“The increasing number of new food outlets in Dubai is due to the fact that the emirate enjoys enormous global reputation and great confidence among investors, in addition to the consumers’ confidence in the regulatory authorities that ensure the health and safety of food in the emirate,” he said.

Similarly, Gaurav Varma, CEO of The Royal Orchid Group of Restaurants Abu Dhabi, said that the UAE is a great international F&B hub, due to its large expat population. “The UAE is a destination that has expats from over 140 countries residing in it. The local Emirati population is very fond of good food, and they have a great knowledge regarding good food from all over the world because they are very well travelled. The UAE has always had some of the best restaurants in the world and the home-grown sector has come up with some fantastic cuisines.”

He added that the Expo 2020 Dubai event, which will open its doors later this year, will provide a boost to the F&B scene, not just in Dubai, but across the UAE. “We believe that it is going to be a great moment and opportunity for the F&B sector; there will be so many different types of food and concepts that will be showcased from all over the world – from cafes to fine dining to fast food. The people coming from over 190 countries to the event are going to be trying not just the food from their home nations, but also food from all over the world. This is going to be a great opportunity to showcase the best of what the UAE has to offer.”

Ebraheem Al Samadi, founder and CEO of Forever Rose London and Al Samadi Group, which recently opened the Forever Rose Café in Boxpark by Meraas, noted that Dubai is “special for foodies as there is such a mixture of nationalities that reside and visit, resulting in the exposure and welcoming of international cuisines and concepts. In Dubai, we have more than 196 nationalities and each area of the city has its own extensive variety of restaurants and unique places to visit. If you take Dubai Mall, for example, there are 30 different types of cuisines there alone. Nowhere else in the world can you find such a diverse range in one place and Dubai is truly a foodie’s paradise.”

“The food safety system in Dubai is distinguished by being a smart system, which has made the emirate one of the best cities in the world in this field,” Al Taher added. He noted that the Dubai government has also provided support to the economic sectors, through economic stimulus packages, to ensure business continuity and sustainability, and succeeded in the gradual return of economic life, with the directions of the country’s leadership.

khaleejtimes