Dubai, UAE – As the UAE accelerates its ambitions to become a global centre for
innovation, entrepreneurship and food resilience, one local founder is bringing
together some of the region’s most influential Food & Beverage voices to ask a bold
question:
Why import the future… when we can build it right here?

On 18 June, Seda Solmaz will host the third edition of her annual food and beverage
industry gathering, introducing a bold new format for 2026: The Hot Take - an event
designed to unite start-up founders, FMCG leaders, retailers, delivery platforms,
investors and policymakers for one evening of honest discussion around what it will
truly take to build globally relevant Food & Beverage brands from the UAE.

Unlike traditional events built around presentations and polished narratives, The Hot
Take has been designed as a high-energy exchange of ideas featuring keynote
sessions, unscripted conversations, founder stories and audience participation.

The event agenda brings together senior voices from across the ecosystem to
discuss building the right infrastructure for local innovation, scalable growth, food
security and the realities of growing brands in a rapidly changing region.

For Seda, however, the event represents something bigger than a one-night
gathering. After years helping F&B brands unlock incremental revenue streams
through innovation across multiple markets, she believes the UAE is entering a
defining moment where local capability, entrepreneurial ambition and industry
collaboration must combine to create the next generation of regional success stories.

Through Idea Atelier, Seda has led innovation initiatives across the sector with a co-
creation model centered around people, practical execution and commercially viable
outcomes, supporting more than 70 partnerships across 18 markets, facilitating over
200 co-creation workshops, generating more than 8,000 concepts and helping bring
over 50 ideas to market.
 
Seda Solmaz, Founder of Idea Atelier UAE, explains. "For years, the region has
been exceptional at bringing global brands to market. But I believe the next chapter
is about creating more of our own."

"The UAE already has the ingredients, infrastructure, talent, ambition and access.
What we need now is more open collaboration between founders, manufacturers,
retailers, investors and decision makers."

"The Hot Take was created to bring those voices into one room. No scripts. No
corporate filters. Just honest conversations about what it really takes to build brands
that start in the UAE and scale beyond it."

The event’s programme will feature keynote conversations, a live panel discussion
and founder spotlight sessions bringing together senior voices from across the
region’s Food & Beverage ecosystem.

Confirmed participants include Saleh Lootah, Chairman of the UAE Food &
Beverage Manufacturing Business Group; Zeinab Stapic, Head of Commercial
McDonalds at Tanmiah; Peter Dillane, President and CEO APMEA at Kerry and
Ljiljana Kovacevic, Operations Manager at Caribou Coffee alongside founders and
innovation leaders shaping the next generation of brands from the UAE.

Conversations will focus on localisation of innovation, scalability, food security, fast
changing consumer behaviour and what it truly takes to build globally relevant
businesses from the UAE.

With attendance intentionally limited to 75 seats, she expects a curated mix of
innovators, operators, investors and ecosystem leaders.

About Idea Atelier UAE
Idea Atelier UAE is an innovation consultancy focused on empowering Food &
Beverage brands innovate with purpose through innovation workshops, strategic
advisory and commercial innovation support. Built around the belief that people sit at
the heart of innovation, Idea Atelier partners with brands from ideation through to
execution to create commercially successful, consumer-led solutions.
 
Event Details
http://bit.ly/4wUqp5X
18 June 2026
Venue: Avant Garde Concept Store, Al Quoz Dubai
https://share.google/GxPZI6o6O0HvlXfAa
 5:30pm – 9:30pm
 Tickets: AED 245
 seda@ideaatelierdubai.com