Start-up success

Top row (L-R): Rami Badawi, Amber Haque, Sergio Lopez, Tahir Shah and Tom Arnel. Bottom row (L-R) Yousef Al-Barqawi, Alexandra de Montaudouin and Emma Sawko.

With a slew of restaurants opening nearly every day, Caterer Middle East investigates the major challenges entrepreneurs face when setting up a F&B concept, and gets tips for new entrants

If there is one thing the UAE does not lack, it is restaurants. Diners will find high-end venues, casual eateries, international brands, home-grown outlets, cafés and bistros and so much more, all across the country.

The Pizza Guys co-founder Amber Haque says that the UAE and Dubai in particular, is fast becoming a “hotbed of entrepreneurship”.

Story continues below

She says: “In terms of F&B, Dubai has now attracted most of the major brands. The home-grown restaurant scene is still in its nascent stages. From the feedback we have received, people here appreciate what independent restaurants have to offer and are ready for more.”

Fraiche Café & Bistro founder Yousef Al-Barqawi agrees with Haque and says: “The F&B market in the UAE in general, and Dubai specifically, is an exploding one, with projected growth north of 10% per year over the next five years. That kind of growth is almost unparalleled in any other industry within the region.”

He adds: “More interesting than that though, is the huge interest in independent, locally based, home-grown mid-market brands; which has for so long been a criminally underserved sector of the market.”

However, Caterer Middle East has been told that established brands have a much easier task of starting up, and independent outlets often struggle to convince investors, developers and more of their viability.

Another concern is the legislation involved in setting up. Not only start-ups, but established restaurateurs have revealed that it is easy to take a false step on the licensing path since there is no clear checklist to follow. Does the UAE government need to find a way to encourage local F&B development and allow them to compete on a level playing field with the big global guns — perhaps by making the process easier?

So the question is, as also raised by our resident columnist Aidan Keane: do entrepreneurs need a guardian angel over their heads to survive in the F&B business, and is it harder to start up when you’re a new entrant?

Article continues on next page ...