Industry leaders to gather at UAERG Food Service Forum and IMAGES RetailME Food Business Forum as the food industry soars to US$131.4 billion in the GCC

The forum will see more than 400 attendees, 100+ speakers, and 20+ sessions at a pivotal time when the GCC food & grocery market is growing to US$216.3 billion by 2026.

Dubai, UAE; June 5, 2024

Leaders and visionaries of the booming food industry will headline the forthcoming UAERG Food Service Forum and IMAGES RetailME Food Business Forum that will be held at JW Marriott Hotel Marina, Dubai, on June 6, 2024.

Poised to become MENA’s pioneering knowledge-sharing platforms for food service (HoReCa) and food & grocery retail, the forums will address prevalent challenges and opportunities within these industries. The events will feature over 20 conference sessions conducted by more than 100 speakers, with an expected attendance of over 400 participants and representation from over 200 companies.

Key speakers from Grandiose, Nesto, Choithrams, Careem, Cenomi Retail, Al Raya Supermarkets, Talabat Mart, Papa Jones, Manuel Supermarket, Costa Coffee, including representatives from other reputed food service and food retail companies, will discuss trending issues such as evolving with healthy habits, digital disruption of food consumption, eco-friendly practices, and plant-based food alternatives. Distinguished players from various sectors of the food industry, including manufacturing, retail tech innovations, and AI, will highlight the significant growth within the broader food business landscape.

The UAERG Food Service Forum and IMAGES RetailME Food Business Forum will be hosted at a critical time when the food industry is experiencing substantial growth in the UAE and the MENA region. In the GCC region, the size of the food and grocery retail market reached US$141 billion in 2021 and is forecasted to grow further to US$216.3 billion by 2026, according to a report by Mordor Intelligence. Meanwhile, the food service (HoReCa) market is expected to reach US$54.72 billion in 2024.

The UAE food market is also witnessing considerable growth, with anticipated revenue of US$38.29 billion in 2024, according to Statista.com, a digital market intelligence provider. Similarly, Mordor Intelligence reported that the country’s food service (HoReCa) market will reach US$19.98 billion in 2024.

Amitabh Taneja, Chairman of Images Group, predicts that the forums will be forerunners in discovering new trends and overcoming challenges of the food industry, He stated “UAERG Food Service Forum and IMAGES RetailME Food Business Forum offers a platform for professionals to converge and collaborate on growing the food business. Prevalent issues like increase in food consumption and ever-changing lifestyle pattern in the GCC will be addressed.  The forums will also discuss the latest trends, challenges, and innovations that shape the future of the food and grocery market in the region. In the long run, we plan to extend this platform globally.”  

The forums will also celebrate the achievements of companies under Food Service Awards 2024 and Golden Spoon Awards, which will be conducted for the first time in the Middle East. Awardees will be felicitated under various categories, encouraging more participants in the future and consequently contributing to the evolution of the larger food industry.