The Future Food Forum will bring senior leaders from across the UAE food value chain together in Dubai on September 29 and 30, as the country pushes ahead with its National Food Security Strategy 2051.
The eighth edition takes place at Le Méridien Dubai Hotel & Conference Centre under the patronage of the UAE Ministry of Economy and Tourism.
Hosted by the UAE Food & Beverage Business Group and the UAE Food Cluster, this year's forum will focus on the partnerships, technologies and supply chain innovations needed to strengthen food resilience and long-term security.
The UAE Food Cluster, working with GS1, will announce the National Food Catalogue at the event. The platform is designed to support standardisation, traceability and collaboration across the country's food ecosystem.
The forum will also unveil national initiatives and partnerships aimed at improving productivity, competitiveness and market access in the sector. Among them is a partnership between the UAE Food Cluster and Majra, the UAE's National CSR Fund, which will help smaller producers scale up and reach wider markets.
This year's edition introduces NextGen Founders, a programme backed by Nestlé, Sheraa, Majra and the UAE Food Cluster. It will give emerging food entrepreneurs mentorship, training and market exposure as they launch and grow their ventures.
The programme will close with the Cluster Champion Awards, which recognise organisations that have shown excellence in innovation, sustainability, market expansion and trade, food safety, talent development, operational resilience and industry collaboration.
Saleh Lootah, Chairman of the UAE Food Cluster and the UAE Food and Beverages Manufacturers Group, said strong local capabilities and better-connected supply chains are critical to national resilience and long-term prosperity as populations grow, trade dynamics shift and pressure on natural resources increases. He said the initiatives announced at the forum, from digital infrastructure and traceability tools to partnerships that support entrepreneurs, reflect the UAE's commitment to building a more productive, resilient and future-ready food ecosystem.
The forum is presented by Food Tech Valley in partnership with Dubai Economy and Tourism. Nestlé and IFFCO are Founding Partners, while PepsiCo, Al Islami Foods, Tilda and Almarai serve as Platinum Partners. Abu Dhabi Food Hub is the Supply Chain Partner and DP World is the Trade Enabling Partner. Strategic Partners include Majra, Ne'ma and ICCA, with APCO acting as Strategic Communication Partner.
Over the two days, the programme will include ministerial sessions, technical panels, CEO discussions and stakeholder roundtables. Organisers say the format is meant to turn dialogue into collaboration and concrete outcomes, reinforcing the UAE's role as a reliable partner in the global food system.
News Source: Emirates News Agency
