Gulfood encourages emerging companies to establish headquarters in Dubai

The 31st session of Gulfood Food 2026 witnessed a remarkable presence of a number of emerging companies participating for the first time in this global event, in a step that reflects the growing role of small and emerging companies in the food and beverage sector, and their ability to provide innovative solutions and products that meet market requirements.

An Emirates Today tour of the exhibition pavilions monitored these companies presenting new ideas and innovative business models, with the aim of taking advantage of the Gulfood platform to communicate with investors, distributors and decision makers, in addition to testing expansion opportunities in regional and global markets.

Representatives of these companies stressed that the first participation in Gulfood represents a strategic opportunity to build brands and enter into new commercial partnerships, as well as getting to know closely the requirements of different markets, noting that the exhibition constitutes an important starting point for growth and expansion.

They revealed to Emirates Today about plans to open headquarters for their companies in Dubai, with the emirate having a strategic geographical location that supports companies with access to global markets, in addition to its tax environment that supports emerging companies and entrepreneurship.

Make deals

In detail, the co-founder and CEO of the Omani Zabonex company, Hatem Al-Abri, said that the Gulfood Food Exhibition represents the ideal place for companies to meet, especially Emirati ones, to conclude deals and present project ideas.

He added that the exhibition allowed startup companies to communicate with investors specialized in food technology, and regional dealers in the UAE, Oman and other countries, noting that his company was founded in Oman in 2023 under the umbrella of the “Oman Hill Innovation” laboratories.

He stated that the goal of participating in “Gulfood” was to conclude deals with food and beverage companies, and to introduce them to the idea of ​​the platform and the benefits of using it, in addition to giving them the opportunity to experience the platform practically for a period ranging between one month and three months.

Al-Abri pointed out that the company’s main headquarters is in Oman, but there is currently a study to open a branch in Dubai to support distribution and services in the region, to benefit from the flexibility of procedures and facilities provided by the emirate.

He explained that the company provides a platform for companies operating in the food and beverage sector, which helps them predict the distribution of their products in the markets in accordance with the seasons and consumer needs, which contributes to increasing profitability and reducing waste, especially for perishable products.

He added that the platform relies on analyzing historical data to allocate production and determine the appropriate quantities for each type of product in various stores, which enhances sustainability and ensures production that meets actual future demand.

Growth opportunities

For her part, Kunal Nair, co-founder and chief technical officer of Bean Boutiques, confirmed that her participation in the Gulfood 2026 exhibition in Dubai represents a real opportunity for her company’s growth and expansion.

She said that she plans to establish an office for the company in Dubai, noting that the UAE is a growing market that provides opportunities for emerging companies to try out their ideas and innovations and transfer them to the world.

She explained that the company’s main products are coffee and cocoa, pointing out that during her participation in the exhibition, she presented the company’s supply chain program, which was developed as a platform based on artificial intelligence to manage coffee and cocoa supply chains, with the aim of solving existing challenges and enhancing transparency across the various stages of production.

She added that the company relies entirely on modern technologies, as its platform is based on machine learning techniques, and it also uses unconventional and unique ingredients in the chocolate it manufactures, while adding nutritional value that benefits consumers.

Innovative technologies

In turn, the CEO of the Swiss company “Zain Tech”, Joseph Zehnder, said that Dubai has a strategic geographical location that supports companies in accessing markets in the Gulf and Middle East regions.

He added that the company is participating for the first time in the Gulfood exhibition, to showcase its innovative technologies in manufacturing snacks, which allow the production of products that are free of fats, oils and air, do not oxidize, and remain suitable for consumption for up to 24 months, compared to only three months for traditional chips.

He pointed out that his company uses the world’s first patented food processing technology, which allows the process of frying, roasting, sterilization, reheating, and baking using only pure water, without oil or air.

He stressed that participation in the exhibition represents an opportunity to reach various customers, including manufacturers, retailers, as well as food services in the markets of India, the Middle East and Africa, which enhances the company’s plans for regional expansion.

He revealed the company’s intention to establish a regional headquarters in Dubai to support distribution and services in the region, taking advantage of the city’s strategic location and easy access to regional markets, which makes Dubai an ideal gateway and platform for emerging companies to expand their products globally.

An oasis of opportunity

In the same context, the founder and CEO of the Indian company Atom Robotic Cafe, Praveen Eswaramurthy, said that the company had not previously planned to establish a headquarters or office in Dubai, but the experience it had while participating in Gulfood, and the opportunities and added value it saw, prompted it to consider establishing an office in Dubai soon.

Iswaramurthy said: “Dubai provides an attractive business environment for emerging companies, in addition to a strategic location that serves regional and global expansion, and it is truly an oasis of opportunities in light of a supportive tax environment.”

He added: “We are a company specialized in food technology, as we have developed what we believe is the first robotic food capsule in the world, supported by artificial intelligence, and designed to operate as a fully automated café.”

He explained that ATOM prepares and serves a wide range of options, from hot tea, health drinks, and functional drinks to rice dishes, pasta, soups, and customized meals, all without any human intervention.

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An exceptional opportunity

Founder and CEO of METE, Fabian D’Agostin, said that Gulfood 2026 is an ideal opportunity for companies to interact directly with manufacturers and potential partners.

He added that participation in the exhibition represents an exceptional opportunity to bring about a real transformation in the path of companies operating in the food sector, noting that the event provides an appropriate environment for business development and raising the level of products to global standards, especially for companies seeking to expand outside their local markets.