Gulfood 2020: All in good taste

With food security high on the UAE’s agenda, local F&B operators are investing heavily in innovation and new technologies, as was evident at the annual Gulfood exhibition in Dubai. What comes next?

Dubai’s Eat App raises $5m Series B round

Eat App’s restaurant reservation platform currently supports over 1000 restaurants, hospitality groups and hotels, and has processed over 10 million diners to date

Dubai’s Operation Falafel to expand to New York, London, Paris

The restaurant brand expects to roll out its first unit in New York by Q2 2020

The world’s first commercial indoor tomato farm to open in Abu Dhabi

The 5,000-square-metre facility is currently being constructed at the Khalifa Industrial Zone Abu Dhabi

SIAL Middle East 2019 closes with nearly $2bn trade deals

The three-day event welcomed 23,000 industry participants and visitors, recording a 13 per cent higher footfall than last year

What is the future of food imports in the GCC?

Live sheep are again being sent by boat from Australia, and bird flu fears remain an ever-present threat to the chicken supply

McDonald’s fires CEO over relationship with employee

Steve Easterbrook, 52, was fired for violating company policy

Dubai Investments records Dhs459m net profit for first nine months

Total income at the end of Q3 2019 was recorded at Dhs2.12bn while total assets reached Dhs20.64bn

World’s largest fish and meat online retailer to create 1,000 jobs in UAE, Saudi

FreshToHome.com is among the top five e-grocers in the UAE, making over 1,000 daily deliveries

UAE’s FTA to begin second phase of tobacco markings

The first phase of the scheme banned all type of cigarettes in local markets that didn’t bear the digital tax stamps

Watch: Nathan’s Famous aims to beef up Dubai hot dog market

The iconic American hot dog restaurant chain hopes to become the mustard on top of an already loaded sector

Saudi Arabia dairy company Almarai sees net profit fall following CEO shakeup

Net profit decline comes despite increase in revenues

Saudi online grocery startup Nana Direct raises $6.6m in funding

Funding co-led by Middle East Venture Partners (MEVP) and Impact46

All Dubai restaurants will soon have to display calorie content on menus

All food establishments in the emirate will have to adhere to the ruling by January 2020

UAE to invest Dhs5.6bn into R&D for water scarcity and food security

The Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi made the announcement earlier today

UAE Food Bank launches third site in Dubai

The UAE Food Bank collects surplus fresh and canned food which is then distributed within the country

Arla acquires Mondeléz’s Kraft cheese business in the Middle East

Arla, which owns the Lurpak and Puck brands, plans to boost its regional presence

Saudi firm begins shipping thousands of tonnes of shrimp to China

The kingdom is hoping to diversify a trade relationship dominated by oil

Dubai’s DMCC to launch coffee centre

DMCC projects the centre will handle up to 20,000 tonnes of green coffee beans annually

Hakkasan to open restaurant on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah

The company closed its Emirates Towers restaurant this month

UAE withdraws frozen fruit, vegetables from Europe after listeria scare

At least nine deaths in Europe have been linked to the contaminated products

Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, Amerra Capital to buy stakes in Greek fish farms

The two aim to form a new multinational company

Dubai’s $1.4bn Royal Atlantis to feature José Andrés’ Spanish eatery Jaleo

Royal Atlantis will also feature celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal’s first restaurant in the Middle East

Saudi’s Almarai plans $2.8bn expansion

Consumer goods companies and retailers in Saudi Arabia have suffered following a dip in consumer spending

Celebrity chef Heston Blumenthal to open Dubai restaurant

The opening will be Blumenthal’s first Middle East restaurant

Uber launches Eats food delivery service in Riyadh

The Saudi capital is the first market where Uber is offering cash on delivery payments

Abu Dhabi Food Festival’s secret dinner event cancelled due to bad weather

The event was scheduled for December 21 at a secret location

Shake Shack plans Saudi expansion

The Gulf region is one of the burger chain’s largest international markets

Saudi to introduce calorie info on menus to tackle obesity

The kingdom has among the highest rates of obesity in the world

Oman bans chicken imports from five countries

The ban follows recent outbreaks of the bird flu virus