Expo 2020 Dubai To Present Opportunities for F&B Enterprises

Estimated AED 2 billion to be generated from onsite F&B sales at Expo 2020

• 30,000 square metres of front-of-house space for F&B on Expo site
• Five million meals needed to keep Expo 2020 Dubai workforce fed
• Expo BusinessConnect session to outline major opportunity for SMEs

Expo 2020 Dubai is offering small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in the food and beverage sector the chance to learn about the huge potential for them at the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region.

The next BusinessConnect session, on 10 July, will highlight the wide range of food and beverage (F&B) opportunities available to SMEs, including ones within the Expo 2020 Dubai F&B supply chain.

• Read more: How to Open a Small Coffee Shop

At peak, up to 85,000 meals are expected to be served per hour during Expo 2020 Dubai, across 30,000 square metres of front-of-house space for F&B. In addition to this, an estimated five million meals will be needed to keep the Expo 2020 workforce fed during the six months of Expo.

Expo 2020 Dubai estimates that visitors attending Expo from 20 October 2020 to 10 April 2021, will generate approximately AED 2 billion in food and beverage sales onsite.

Expo 2020 Dubai is committed to supporting the SME sector across the region as part of its plans for a lasting economic legacy. Last year, it announced that 20 per cent of direct and indirect spend for the Expo will be awarded to SMEs.

Manal AlBayat, Senior Vice President, Business Development and Integration at Expo 2020 Dubai, said: “This is a major opportunity for SMEs in the food and beverage sector to engage with Expo 2020 Dubai and find out how they can become part of our plans to showcase the many cuisines and cultures within the UAE to millions of visitors from around the world.

“Our commitment to SMEs is about connecting with them and building relationships that will help them grow and benefit from the opportunities available before, during and after Expo 2020 Dubai.”

The F&B session will be the latest edition of the BusinessConnect series, which has been developed by Expo 2020 Dubai to connect with businesses and encourage conversation, exchange ideas, share expertise and deliver the best solutions.

The series aims to shift the traditional model of procurement to one based more on the value of collaboration, with each edition delivered in the format of an open dialogue and focused on a specific aspect of Expo 2020 Dubai.

SMEs interested in attending the F&B BusinessConnect session should apply via the website https://ems.expo2020.ae/landing-page.php?eid=MQ. They are also encouraged to sign up to Expo’s e-Sourcing portal at https://esource.expo2020dubai.ae to keep track of the latest commercial opportunities.