As the official representative body of the UAE’s food and beverage sector, the UAE Restaurant Group (UAERG) recently held its first board meeting of 2026. Held on January 9th, the event welcomed members of the Ministry of Economy & Tourism for a briefing on key initiatives supporting the future of the UAE’s F&B sector. Setting the tone for the year ahead, UAERG members highlighted opportunities to facilitate pilot initiatives and connect the Ministry with relevant industry stakeholders to support effective rollout.

During the session, the Ministry outlined key strategic directions aimed at strengthening the F&B sector’s contribution to economic and tourism growth. These included expanding public and private collaboration to improve industry-wide alignment, supporting balanced economic activity across the Emirates, and developing tourism clusters that bring together food, culture, hospitality, and experiences. The briefing also touched on initiatives designed to promote homegrown concepts and local ingredients, including community-facing food and restaurant events that celebrate the UAE’s culinary scene and cultural identity.

Sustainability also emerged as a central theme throughout the discussion, with a particular focus on practical, scalable solutions tailored to restaurant operations and supply chains. Areas explored included food circularity programmes that focus on reducing waste, improving resource efficiency, and repurposing excess ingredients. The discussion also covered opportunities to collect and aggregate used cooking oil, enabling its conversion into lower-carbon fuels.

H.E. Dr. Maria Hanif Al Qassim, Assistant Undersecretary for Policies and Economic Studies at the Ministry of Economy & Tourism, shared, ‘The food and beverage sector plays a vital role in the UAE’s economic and tourism landscape. Working closely with organisations like UAERG helps ensure initiatives are shaped with real operational insight and rolled out in a way that makes sense for businesses. Open dialogue like this allows progress to be practical, inclusive, and aligned with the UAE’s wider goals.’

Following the briefing from the Ministry, UAERG board members highlighted sustainability practices already active across the market, including waste reduction efforts, sourcing improvements, and operational efficiencies. Members spoke about the value of aligning existing sustainability efforts with national frameworks, helping create greater consistency and making it easier to scale what is already working across the sector. There was also strong interest in supporting feasibility studies linked to biofuel pathways, allowing restaurants to test how collection, storage, compliance, and quality control could work in practice before being rolled out on a larger scale.

Additionally, the board members emphasised the importance of practical implementation and the need for clear participation models for restaurants. The conversation noted the importance of simple onboarding, well-defined roles across collection and processing, and a realistic path that allows pilot initiatives to grow at a manageable pace. Clear reporting, aligned communication, and shared standards were also seen as essential for supporting long-term success.

Commenting on the meeting, Amit Nayak, Vice Chairman of UAERG, said, ‘This session created a valuable opportunity to bring industry perspectives closer to national priorities in a way that feels practical and achievable. Our role is to help turn those ideas into a reality by connecting the right stakeholders and making sure pilot initiatives are built for how real restaurants operate. By combining our on-the-ground insight with the Ministry of Economy & Tourism’s ambitions, this collective approach supports the UAE’s continued growth as a leading global gastronomic hub.’

Abdulla Al Mulla, Vice Chairman of UAERG, added, ‘Hosting leaders from the Ministry of Economy & Tourism was truly an honour, and we are grateful to everyone who shared their ideas as part of this vital industry discussion. UAE Restaurant Group has always been a platform built on collaboration, and gatherings like these are what continue to drive innovation, create impactful initiatives, boost economic growth, and elevate the nation’s dynamic F&B landscape on the global stage.’

As the year unfolds, UAERG remains focused on strengthening collaboration across the F&B ecosystem, supporting initiatives that balance growth with sustainability, and helping shape a sector that continues to play a meaningful role in the UAE’s economic and tourism landscape.