talabat partners with Dubai Restaurant Group to launch
“Digital Growth Program”

Talabat and Dubai Restaurant Group (DRG) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to support 500 qualified DRG member applicants that meet set criteria with special talabat registration packages.

The collaboration represents a two-year commitment between the entities' to support and strengthen the food and beverage sector in Dubai, and allows DRG members a unique opportunity to expand business visibility and reach through talabat's customer database and logistics network. As part of the agreement, qualified DRG members are eligible for a specialised talabat commercial package, which includes reduced registration and commission fees.

Talabat's revised fees and commission for those availing the Digital Growth Program are as follows: Commission of 5.3 percent and AED8.40 delivery fee per order, as well as 2 percent credit card fees or cash handling fees. There will also be a AED2,324 registration fee for new partners joining talabat.

Mubarak Bin Fahad, Chairman, Dubai Restaurants Group said: "We are pleased to announce our partnership with talabat to support our members and encourage them to grow and expand their business by accelerating their digital presence. This partnership was also in response to our community's growing demand for innovation, speed and variety, something that has become possible in today's highly digital world."

Naim Maadad, Treasurer and Board Member added: "This is indeed a milestone for us. We have been committed to forging partnerships with key players in the market to support the growing F&B sector since our inception, and we are proud to partner with talabat to take another leap in this direction. Over the past four months, I have taken a personal interest in seeking and securing such opportunities as I know what it means for the industry. I am excited to see how this collaboration develops and to witness the success and growth of our DRG members."

Tatiana Rahal, Managing Director, talabat UAE, commented: "We are proud to partner with DRG to develop a tailored restaurant partner onboarding package to help qualified DRG members accelerate their online commerce growth and increase their visibility and order volume. As the leading delivery app in the UAE, we must continue to empower the business communities we operate in, whether it is by supporting SMEs or enabling established businesses to further expand and grow."

Only registered DRG-registered members who meet the qualifying criteria are eligible to apply for the program. The criteria include having a valid DRG membership for a minimum period of three months and working with talabat as the preferred delivery partner. The program is only available to the first 500 DRG members who avail it and it will be valid for two years from the date of signing an MOU.

DRG members already registered with talabat must have operational proficiencies as follows: Vendor Delay of more than 5 minutes of less than 15 percent, a Net Fail Rate (Restaurant Fault) of less than 0.5 percent and a Food Is Ready Button Usage of more than 75 percent.

Interested DRG members can check their eligibility details and apply by contacting sherine@drg.ae.
New talabat partners will also benefit from three-day cash settlements to strengthen their cash flow, which is a known challenge for restaurants.

Online procurement brand Eighty6 partners with DRG

Eighty6, an industry-leading online procurement brand, has teamed up with DRG to help bridge the gap between restaurants and suppliers making ordering and fulfilment easier and smoother.

Eighty6 provides a one-stop online marketplace that streamlines the ordering process and reduces operating costs for both restaurants and suppliers. For restaurants, the procurement of raw materials and the search for suppliers takes valuable time away from serving guests and generating revenue. Eighty6 aims to simplify the process of placing and receiving orders by bringing suppliers into one marketplace.

Abdul Kader Saadi, co-founder and CEO of Eighty6 said: “We are excited to start our journey along with DRG. Eighty6’s principles are very similar to DRG. Both of us want to serve the community by connecting the restaurants with the buyers. As a result, they are highlighting our services to bring operational and financial efficiencies into the F&B business in the UAE. Chefs can discover, search and compare prices of products from multiple suppliers, place and manage their orders on a single platform. With eighty6 suppliers can grow their business, minimize their client acquisition costs, and supply customers with a seamless ordering experience.”

They will be able to build customer relationships and boost their sales by optimizing their online marketing through direct push notification and dedicated marketing space. A customised dashboard will integrate with each of their ERP systems to bring efficiency and take the guesswork out of managing the daily order processing tasks by merging all orders in one panel.

Expo 2020 Dubai’s Jubilee Gastronomy hosts 50-hands dining experience for the UAE's Golden Jubilee

As the UAE celebrates the ‘Year of the 50th’, Jubilee Gastronomy hosted a never-seen-before luxury culinary experience in the heart of Expo 2020 Dubai. The event will saw 25 chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants partner with local talent on Thursday, December 2.

The chefs cooked a nine-course gold-inspired menu for an exclusive audience of 50 guests. Industry-leading chefs such as Vineet Bhatia, Alfredo Russo and many more were in the kitchen for the night at the restaurant and bar experience from Gates Hospitality. There are many more special nights with guest chefs coming to Expo for the remaining three months.

Naim Maadad, Gates Hospitality Founder and DRG Treasurer and Board Member said: “In line with the aspirations of the vibrant city of Dubai to become the culinary hub of the world, Gates Hospitality iss greatly honoured to be part of the largest event globally, involving 31 Michelin starred and 50 Best iconic celebrity chefs to be displaying their creative acumen at the Chefs Table being arranged at the Jubilee Gastronomy venue of Expo 2020. The evenings are spread across the six months duration of Expo 2020. This culinary extravaganza would go a long way in helping realise the dream of the city to become a global cuisine destination. The F&B industry would really get a tremendous boost and the benchmark would be raised to unparalleled levels in times to come. Absolutely humbled at the prospect of contributing to this endeavour and earnestly looking forward to this exciting journey.”

Jubilee Gastronomy is located on the ninth floor of Parcel C, offering gastronomic experiences at their chef’s table, which seats 30 guests. It is hosting weekly intimate lunches and a dinner degustation experience every Tuesday throughout Expo's run. Top chefs will create signature four- and nine-course menus and December’s line-up includes experiences by Heinz Beck, Cristina Bowerman and Paolo Casagrande.