Opening F&B business in Dubai

Whether you are already in the restaurant industry or just want to try your hand at being a restaurateur, Dubai is one of the best places to start the Food & Beverage business.

Restaurant life in Dubai has been rapidly developing for the last decade. More than two hundred cuisines from around the globe coexist harmoniously in this city. Here, there is a great variety of places from street food and ice cream spots to Michelin restaurants. Many world renowned chains of coffee shops, cafes, and restaurants are represented in Dubai.

One can think that this market is oversaturated but it is not. Dubai is constantly in search of new formats of F&B places and tries to follow the latest global gastronomic trends. According to Dubai Exports, the city’s food sector is estimated at over AED 131 billion, and the beverages sector — at more than AED 11 billion. Moreover, it is expected that the F&B industry will be growing by 71.6% per year.

Big number of tourists, a constantly rising inflow of expats, favorable economic and tax policies, support from the city’s authorities — all this makes Dubai an attractive place for making business.

Speaking of the F&B business in particular, Dubai hosts numerous local and world food festivals and restaurant weeks that promote the industry. We’d go as far as saying Dubai claims the title of the gastronomical capital of the world!

So, if you have decided to open your food business in Dubai, there are some things to consider before you start.

What do I need to open a restaurant or a street food spot in Dubai?

As we have already mentioned, Dubai is a place where cuisines from all over the world coexist peacefully and none of them lacks attention. The city population is very diverse and includes locals and expats from different countries. So, Dubai is where you can always find your traditional food or taste a dish that you would find exotic.

There are a variety of Food and Beverage places in Dubai to suit every taste and budget. And still, the city is always in search of new ideas, locations, and concepts. So, there is plenty of room for making a F&B business here. It can be either a food truck, cloud kitchen, or traditional restaurant, no doubt that Dubai foodies won’t miss your place.

The authorities of the UAE and Dubai in particular pay great attention to the quality and safety of the food industry. No matter whether it is a luxury restaurant or just a street coffee shop, the food quality is good and all safety requirements are met. This cannot be achieved without regulations related to hygiene and food preparation.

We have collected key requirements that you need to comply with in order to open a F&B business in Dubai. Here they are:

Receiving licenses

You cannot establish a F&B company in Dubai without obtaining the necessary licenses. The requirements differ depending on where you are opening your business — on the Mainland or in a Free Zone.

Mainland

If you plan to open your F&B business on the Mainland, you will need a local sponsor or Local Service Agent (LSA) who is a UAE national. He or she will be representing your company when dealing with the Government.

Also, you will need to receive a trade license from the Department of Economic Development (DED). At this stage, you must come up with your company’s trade name. Make sure you have at least three on your mind because the UAE has strict naming conventions and it won’t allow you to use the one that was already registered or taken by somebody else. And of course, the name must not include any offensive words or names and abbreviations of popular organizations.

Another thing to consider is that the operating name of your company may differ from its corporate name. Thus, your company and your restaurant may be called differently.

Next, prepare a detailed description of your business activity. You must decide what it will be — a bar, a caf?, or a restaurant. At this stage, submit the shareholder and LSA documents.

After you are issued with a trade license, visit the Food Safety Department of Dubai Municipality and get a food license for your F&B place.

Free zone

If you are planning to open your business in a Dubai Free Zone, you will only need to submit your application to the Free Zone authority. In Free Zones, you may work without local sponsors, however, some restrictions may exist.

Receiving a No Objection Certificate

For opening certain food businesses in Dubai like non-event food trucks or kiosks, you will need to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC). It is issued after you get your trade and food licenses and is delivered within 2 business days. The procedure is easy. Just submit your ID card and active trade license to the Dubai Food Safety Department.

Meeting the design and layout regulations

Before opening you restaurant, you will need to present its design project to the relevant authorities to prove that it complies with the design and layout regulations in Dubai, such as:

• Kitchen area is not less than 300 sq. feet or is at least 40% of the restaurant’s total area
• Proper ventilation system
• Washable, fireproof, and non-absorbent roof, walls, and floor in the restaurant
• Proper storage facility designed for different kinds of products

Observing the food safety requirements

To run a F&B business in Dubai, you must know and observe all the rules and regulations for proper delivery, storage, and segregation of different food products to ensure their safety.

To regulate and facilitate the safety procedures, the Dubai Municipality’s Food Safety Department introduced the Food Code, which is a document that includes all the necessary information for the Person-In-Charge (PIC) at F&B establishments. It contains all the requirements, standards, and obligations and is very helpful for observing all the food safety requirements.

Receiving special permits

All restaurants in Dubai must obtain liquor, pork, delivery, and Ramadan permits.

Observing specific food and drink requirements

Since the UAE is an Islamic country with certain rules and traditions related to avoiding some food and drinks, F&B places in Dubai must be equipped with separate and properly outfitted spaces for preparing pork.

Also, all non-halal food, pork, and alcohol must be clearly stated in the menu.

Set up your F&B business with Emirabiz

Our experienced and always ready to help team will answer all your questions related to opening your F&B business and will provide full support in getting the required licenses and permits.