As the industry navigates shifting consumer habits and rising costs, GRIF 2026 brought together the people and ideas shaping a more resilient future for hospitality.
From GRIF to GCC expansion: Hide and Hideaway announce plans for four new locations across the UAE and Saudi Arabia, following a conversation started at GRIF last year.
Dubai : The Global Restaurant Investment Forum 2026 (GRIF) concluded its 12th edition in Dubai, bringing together more than 220 hospitality leaders, investors and industry experts to explore new opportunities for growth and investment across the food and beverage sector.
Held in partnership with Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), the forum explored how operators can respond to rising costs and shifting consumer behaviour while identifying opportunities for sustainable growth.
Demonstrating GRIF’s role as a catalyst for international hospitality investment and strategic partnerships, Abdulla Al M’heri, Founder and Chairman of DEAL Holdings and The FAB Group, announced a development and management agreement with London-based Hedonism Group to expand its acclaimed HIDE and HIDEAWAY brands across the GCC and selected European markets.
The announcement was made on stage at GRIF 2026, alongside Colin Clague, Partner and Global Head of Culinary at The FAB Group; Shabnum Stumpf, Head of Project Development and Brand Activations at The FAB Group; and Paul Rowland, Managing Director of Hedonism Group UK.
With four locations already signed and under development across the UAE and KSA, the partnership demonstrates a strong commitment to an ambitious international rollout. Originating from introductions at GRIF 2025, the agreement represents a compelling success story for the forum, transforming initial conversations into a signed international partnership and an active development pipeline within just one year.
The GRIF x Juniper Strategy UAE Hospitality Industry Barometer, Wave II (Summer 2026)* points to a gradual but uneven recovery. Based on 30 hospitality operators representing more than 350 restaurants across the UAE, average like-for-like sales were 1% below the same period last year, improving from a 27% decline in April. Reported sales ranged from 35% below to 35% above last year. Confidence in the six-month business outlook rose from +3 in April to +35 in summer, while food costs remained 12% higher year on year and 77% of operators cited reduced tourism as a key trading pressure.
Performance also varied by location: 89% of operators reported weaker results at tourist-heavy sites, while 67% said residential locations were outperforming the rest of their estate, up from 48% in April. The proportion of operators prioritising local residents rose to 58%, from 27% in April, highlighting the growing importance of neighbourhood demand.
The GRIF x Project People Industry Insights Survey** found that 90% of respondents cited rising costs as a key challenge, up from 83% in 2025, while concern over shifting consumer demand nearly doubled from 17% to 33%. Despite these pressures, 62% are actively expanding internationally, with 90% prioritising existing brands, up from 71% last year.
For Jennifer Pettinger-Haines, Founder of The GRIF Collective, one of the most rewarding parts of GRIF is seeing the people, passion and ambition that continue to shape the industry.
“GRIF 2026 was a powerful reminder of the strength and ambition of this industry. Rather than dwelling on the challenges, the conversations focused on the opportunities ahead, particularly for homegrown concepts with the potential to grow locally and internationally. It was also heartening to see so many international voices in the room, which underlines the growing global relevance of the UAE’s hospitality sector,” said Jennifer Pettinger-Haines.
Tom Arnel, Founder of EatX, shared how The Guild repositioned from a premium dining destination to a more accessible, all-day dining brasserie in response to changing consumer behaviour. The Guild also hosted GRIF’s opening sessions, providing a fitting backdrop for conversations around evolving diner expectations and the importance of local demand and repeat visits.
Building stronger homegrown brands and destinations
Mathew D. Focht, Founding Managing Partner at EMERGING, highlighted the opportunity for UAE-developed hospitality concepts to expand into the US and other international markets, pointing to the potential for homegrown brands to build on local success and reach new audiences.
Sunset Hospitality Group’s experience in scaling concepts across markets and ICD Brookfield Place’s integration of dining, business and lifestyle spaces offered further perspectives on building distinctive hospitality destinations.
The importance of investing in local production also emerged as part of the conversation around long-term resilience and sustainability. Greater use of local agricultural resources can help strengthen the UAE’s self-sufficiency, reduce carbon emissions and support a more connected food and beverage ecosystem. Speakers called for closer collaboration between businesses to advance local production, with a new UAE brewery set to open in September 2027.
Celebrating the UAE’s culinary identity
Further celebrating Dubai’s vibrant culinary landscape, GRIF 2026, with the support of Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), hosted an exclusive Emirati Flavours Study Tour. Delegates visited LOWE and Gerbou, engaging with culinary talents including Chef Arwa Lootah, Chef Ali Yazdi, Chef Ali Siddique and Chef Solemann Haddad through discussions, live culinary presentations and curated tastings. The programme explored how chefs are championing local ingredients, reinterpreting traditional flavours and bringing fresh perspectives to the UAE’s culinary heritage.
Smarter operations and a more resilient future
Alongside brand development, discussions focused on improving operational performance. Research presented by BenchMarket analysed 165,000 purchase prices across 3,000 products and 210 suppliers in the UAE over six months, highlighting opportunities to strengthen procurement and manage costs. A case study involving a restaurant group with more than 40 locations demonstrated how purchasing performance could improve relative to the market without changing suppliers or products.
Discussions on AI also explored its potential to support better decision-making and efficiency, with reliable data and continuous feedback remaining essential to its effective use.
GRIF 2026 highlighted an industry looking beyond immediate pressures towards stronger homegrown brands, smarter operations and new opportunities for international growth. For Dubai, the opportunity lies not only in attracting global concepts, but also in helping homegrown businesses reach new markets.
