Consumers want fresh, convenient food, and they want it fast. This drives a need to improve your operational efficiency and meet increased demand with the highest-quality food. The secret to superior cooking consistency and quality with unmatched throughput is in Structured Air Technology. This innovation offers four ovens in one – so you can cook food the way it’s meant to be cooked and perfect your dishes. In this session, learn the latest consumer trends and how the newest cooking technology can allow you to reimagine your menu and grow your business.

This session will cover the state of the beverages throughout the world, and what is happening more specifically on an innovation front.  Many operators are using beverages as their points of differentiation, as consumers are lured by new, and exciting flavors, formats and combinations.  Supported by insights from Technomic research conducted in North America, emerging beverages inspired by global inspirations will be highlighted during the presentation, and later served by IFFCO at the IFFCO Dinner on 12th November 2018 at Café Artois.

Global F&B franchises have established their mark in the Gulf and have influenced the franchise industry in the Middle East.  However, very few brands have extended their reach to the emerging markets in the Middle East, such as Iraq, which present a new haven for global F&B brands.  Much of the stalled development has been based on unreliable data and forecasts on the economic, legal, and security environment.  Join a panel of franchise experts, current top franchisees, and successful food operators to uncover the market potential the franchise market in Iraq. The panel will provide up to date market overview, forecasts, consumer trends, and address how to overcome challenges to market entry.  The session will also provide an exclusive opportunity to hear from current food operators and franchisees about the untapped potential in entering the next franchise center of the Middle East. 

Creating and maintaining great customer experiences can be a challenge for any operator, especially those who are focused on scaling their brand.

Delivering these great customer experiences is a direct function of the operating procedures you design for your restaurants. Not surprisingly, designing procedures and initiatives is a lot easier than rolling-out and enforcing them, especially for brands experiencing rapid growth!

Join this panel discussion to learn how restaurant owner & operator, Citarasaprima (CRP Group), which has grown from just 20 locations in 2015 to over 200 today, ensures operational excellence while experiencing hyper-growth.

We’ll explore how their use of technology allows them to tackle the critical “last mile” challenge to achieve operational excellence across locations and create great customer experiences.

Looking to enter or expand in the U.S., Canada or Mexico? This session will provide the necessary background and up-to-date intelligence for any restaurant concept planning to enter or expand within North America. The session is designed to give you, the operator, insight into the North American foodservice market, including the current size of the market, trends in foodservice, who the successful restaurant operators are and who to watch. Additionally, learn what issues restaurant brands face when entering the U.S. related to the marketplace, distribution and local governments. After gaining a foundational understanding, walk away with an invaluable framework for your expansion strategy toolkit.

While our hospitality industry boasts of its people working 24*7 in the service, at the same time there is another reality which is not much talked about. Its the theft that takes place at our restaurants. Pilferage and theft that happen in the restaurants is the global phenomenon and is not only  one of the main reasons restaurants shut down, It also hampers the growth and scalability of the restaurant at large.

We are going to talk about how it can be curbed using the smartness of data by applying machine learning and artificial intelligence to it.

There are case studies where we have seen pilferage percentage as high as 25% dropping down to as low as 4 %. We are going to talk about these not so famous case studies delivering deeper insights into strengthening your bottom line.

For the second year, Coca-Cola is proud to present the State of the Global Foodservice Industry. Attendees will have an exclusive look at the latest and most trusted global market foodservice data, generated and presented by Technomic, the world’s leading foodservice research firm. During this session, Technomic experts Joe Pawlak and David Henkes will reveal authoritative industry sales data and overarching trends that span the globe and are fueling industry growth. Rankings of the Top 150 global restaurant chains will be presented along with fact-based insight about the factors driving success among industry leaders. The latest consumer research spanning the globe will be shared. Learn the macro forces shaping future food and beverage usage and what drives global consumers to restaurants and what they expect from the experience.

The future looks bright for our foodservice industry. We need to attract inspired young people to build their careers in kitchens, yet we’re struggling to keep the talent we have from leaving and far fewer people are entering the profession. Unilever Food Solutions will run an expert panel discussion to address the rise of this staffing crisis which many chains are now facing. Harry Brouwer, CEO Unilever Food Solutions, together with leading chefs, industry influencers and chain operators, will openly share different and personal perspectives on the problem and announce a major initiative to help solve this key industry issue.

The Global Restaurant Leadership Distinction Awards are awarded to those restaurant brands that excel in the global marketplace through Innovation, Industry Service, Partnership and Expansion.  The Innovation category recognizes international success by crossing boundaries, staying ahead of consumer demands and enhancing operations, and GRLC is pleased to recognize LEON (UK).  The Service award honors the brands that give back to their communities, the industry and even the planet itself; the 2018 award goes to Alghanim Industries (Kuwait).  The Partnership designation highlights an operator who successfully developed a brand that originated in another country, adapted it to the marketplace and made it a success; this Partnership award honors Jollibee Foods Corporation (Philippines). Expansion recognizes growth - increase in sales, unit count and average unit volume over the prior year and tracking into the current year.  This year’s winner is Costa Coffee (UK).  Join us as we celebrate these international stars! 

Muhtar Kent, chairman of The Coca-Cola Company, will talk about the enduring power of partnership, key consumer trends impacting the global marketplace, and the large-scale opportunities he sees for growth and greater value creation in the worldwide restaurant market. His speech will be followed by a one-on-one discussion of these and other topics with Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association.

GRLC's opening night celebration is the perfect transition from an afternoon of valuable learnings to an evening of relaxed networking.  Join fellow guests and new colleagues for fabulous food and beverages; this is the ideal opportunity to launch your GRLC journey.

Global supply chain leaders share insights on their brands domestically and internationally, as well as their challenges and solutions in managing global supply chains within the foodservice industry.

An estimated 600 million people, almost 1 in 10 people globally, fall ill after eating contaminated food. With foodborne illness incidents becoming more highly publicized, costly food recalls on the rise, heightened regulatory oversight and new restaurant culinary trends emerging, how your operation assesses and manages their food safety risk is more critical than ever. One of the most proactive ways to reduce those risks is implementing and improving a food safety culture that spans throughout the organization.  This session will focus on how a culture of food safety can be built across departments and throughout an organization.  Current examples of food safety risks restaurants face will be discussed and specific tools will be shared that can be used to reduce your risk and increase your commitment to food safety.

World Franchise Associates (WFA) in partnership with the Global Restaurant Leadership Conference is hosting the “Insiders’ Guide to Restaurant Development in the GCC” which will include five speakers covering Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and UAE.

NCR explores how digital transformation continues to change how restaurants engage with their consumers across the globe – and how that looks to evolve in the future. What will AI, VR, voice and payments mean for how restaurants need to prepare for tomorrow, today.

Menu trends are emerging at a rapid pace and have never been more mobile across the globe. While it’s imperative that operators keep their offerings in line with current food and drink trends, it can be a challenge keeping up with the many food fads and crazes, as well as determining which trends are more lasting and how to adapt them to a specific market and segment. This session will focus on the key strategies that operators employ when adopting and adapting fast-moving menu trends for their local market.

The deal-making boom is not likely to slow down. Involving national chains, emerging brands or multi-concept operators, the M&A action is likely to come your way. Hear from Wells Fargo’s Investment Banking leader on deal activity and what operators need to know to attract the right financing partner and, perhaps most importantly, manage a successful company after close.  On the agenda:  driving multiples, the importance of strategic investment, why top talent and company culture matter, and completing a successful deal that drives growth and leads to better performance.

Utilizing Technomic’s latest research, we will look at the leading chains operating in the MENA region as well as menu and consumer trends that continue to evolve the foodservice landscape.

Connectivity and automation are disrupting the foodservice industry enabling innovations, new concepts and competition. This session will focus on trends shaping the foodservice industry and examine how operators and manufacturers turn the challenges of a more connected world into benefits.

How can operators leverage the rapidly accelerating speed of connectivity and automation in foodservice and turn it into an advantage? We will look at transformational business models such as delivery innovations and fully automated service models. We will also look at end-to-end collaborative innovation. How do food suppliers, equipment OEMs, and operators work together on next gen of packaging for automated equipment? How can data be shared and analyzed across the value chain?

The power and potential of women business leaders is more critical than ever, as research continues to show more inclusive and diverse companies are the best drivers of global economic growth. Join a panel of leading executives to discuss opportunity and responsibility around gender equality, pay equality and being a change agent in the nearly US$800 billion worldwide restaurant industry where women – as consumers, as well as executives – continue to drive economic output and spending.

The session will discuss:

• Winning strategies for advancing women and creating global paths to business success and growth
• Ways to develop and maintain inclusiveness and advocacy to inspire a brand, a workplace and product innovation
• Lessons on developing cultural intelligence – from understanding to action – to build diverse teams focused on global growth

The Internet of Things is rapidly transforming the foodservice industry. With connectivity and automation on the rise, top chefs, chain operators, and independents can take their kitchens to a whole new level.  

Novel digital back-of-house technology solutions offer savings, improved efficiency, and ensure that kitchens are up and running to their fullest potential. Operators can monitor equipment and restaurant systems remotely leaving them with more time to focus on customer expectations, food quality, and culinary creativity.

This break out session will highlight how emerging and established operators are implementing digital technologies to connect their kitchen operations like never before. We will look at how real-time information drives performance and how advanced data analytics can add value across the business and support growth objectives. We will also show how in the future robots could work alongside humans in a kitchen and how the concept of co-botics will impact operations.

One of today’s biggest challenges for restaurant operators around the globe is a decline in customer traffic and sales. Marketing to consumers through traditional tactics like TV media have not always provided tangible returns on the sometimes expensive investment, and digital marketing efforts can  quickly add to cost and don’t always get customers through the door. This session will explore innovative marketing efforts that can create and capture new consumer demand for your brand, drive guest loyalty and break through what can be a high-cost and low trade-off marketing cycle. 

Developing a successful brand is a feat in itself. However, achieving recognition as a Global Brand is something that is even rarer and very few can claim.  This panel will explore some of the worlds’ top Global Brands and how they went through the process of spreading their offering to other cultures and markets around the world. We will discuss the challenges of becoming and staying relevant in an ever-evolving environment with changing competition, consumer preferences and purchasing habits that rapidly shift and add layers of both complexity and opportunity that only few do well. Whether you are working to keep your brand and business relevant in its home market, deciding how to evolve the menu or considering crossing borders and adding alternative channels, this session is for you. We will cover best practices, mistakes and multi-industry examples on building and evolving global brands to stay relevant to the customers we have and appeal to those in the next generation or market.

The boom of delivery, increased demand for off-premise food and drink, increased competition from nontraditional competitors and hurried lifestyles have forced many operators to rethink how and where they set up and locate their restaurants. Today’s restaurant chains are tasked with doing more with less—servicing more dayparts, offering delivery and providing seamless ordering solutions—often with smaller kitchens and a tight labor market. This session will examine how leading operators are revamping their operations to address the modern industry landscape.

With the growing presence of Chinese investment and tourist arrivals to the GCC, what opportunities are for Chinese gourmet concept to enter the GCC region? How do you seize the opportunity and be the first mover for introducing Chinese cuisine concepts to meet the new market demand. With the disruption in Chinese FnB offerings & trends, how do we embrace current innovations to cater to the mainstream customers who start adopting the entrant’s offering in volume.

Artificial Intelligence is rapidly shifting how we operate our business. The advancement of leading AI technologies such as computer vision, conversational commerce and augmented intelligence are enabling a greater understanding of consumer behavior and more powerful decisions on the front-line.

Consumer expectations are also rising in conjunction of these trends reaching consumer devices and applications. Restaurants are being challenged to focus more resources on serving the customer to address their greater expectations around convenience and personalization. Restaurants that successfully incorporate these capabilities have an opportunity to drive new growth, capture the loyalty of consumers, and achieve greater efficiency.

Discover the latest technology trends and myths and learn about how firms can modernize their existing businesses to take advantage of these technology trends in this session.

Inspiring Enactus students who take entrepreneurial action for others to create a better world for us all will showcase how they are tackling the world's food waste crisis.

As the world’s largest experiential learning platform dedicated to creating a better world while developing the next generation of leaders with a head for business and a heart for the world, Enactus improved the lives of 1.3 million people in 2017 through 72,000 participating students on 1,730 campuses in 36 countries.

The Enactus network of global business, academic and student leaders are unified by our vision—to create a better, more sustainable world.

Learn more at enactus.org. #NextGenLeaders

It will be another 200+ years to gender-equality”…tired of hearing that sort of statement? Join us to learn what works for both men AND women in the workplace – from your own employees, and from experts with firsthand experience.
 
In an engaging and interactive session, you will get an exclusive first look at the first-ever restaurant industry research. Get the boots-on-the-ground perspective from hundreds of male and female restaurant industry employees across the world. You’ll also hear solutions from ‘real’ women and men about who the game-changer employees are; and tips on how to navigate the gender-equality fatigue and walk the talk for business growth instead. Leave with a copy of the exclusive research and with your mind brimming with actionable ideas.

Good ideas come in all forms and sizes. Hear 10 intriguing (and easily duplicated) ones in this rapid-fire recount of creative approaches to common restaurant problems and opportunities. You’ll leave the session with practical suggestions that almost every operator can adapt. Attendees can also air their own problems and challenges to see what suggestions the group may have.

Wowing today’s consumer and building brand loyalty has never been more challenging. Global consumers have ever-increasing food and beverage options yet traffic and spend remain relatively flat. Capturing consumers’ attention and building repeat visits require new strategies that truly tap into the customer’s emotions and build a long-lasting relationship. In this session, learn how the emergence of new channels and technologies have changed what consumers expect from food, beverages and restaurants. Walk away with a new way to view your customers as well as strategies for reaching them on a deeper and more meaningful level.

Restaurants are witnessing epic behavior changes in millennials and centennials who are replacing baby boomers. Changing demographics are helping create new experiences for customers. Restaurants are heavily focused on repeat customers. The key to achieving long-term traffic growth and market share is getting actionable insights and data-driven information about customer preference that will help prepare for the future. There is a goldmine of information for restaurant owners in POS, marketing, accounting, CRM to scheduling systems. Big Data analytics is all about restaurant owners leveraging analytics for personalized experience to its customers, enhance guest service and build loyalty. Big data analytics is transforming the restaurant industry right from enhancing customer intelligence to improving operational efficiencies.
 
Join our experts who will provide an overview on big data, discuss challenges and benefits, and provide thought leadership on what’s next.

Restaurants brands that expand globally do so in an increasingly tumultuous world. Hear global restaurant leaders share their perspectives and experiences navigating political, economic and regulatory headwinds while doing business outside home borders in a time of rising expressions of national self-interest.

In a remarkable undertaking that will allow governments and relief agencies the ability to coordinate and launch aid efforts, our featured guest, Giuseppe Saba, established the Humanitarian Logistics Databank.  IHC, under the patronage of HRH Princess Haya bint Al Hussein, wife of HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, is the largest humanitarian hub in the world and created the databank - the result of collaborating with 70 UN agencies and international organizations. It will also allow global mapping of available relief items, which will help avoid the duplication of resources sent to conflict zones. Dubai is uniquely situated geographically to provide immediate assistance and IHC has proved itself up to the task of offering international relief: In 2017, the UAE has spent $65 million in response to humanitarian aid to 91 countries including Bangladesh, Iraq, Yemen and Sudan.  In a conversation with Paul Grill, CEO of Intellytics FZ-LLC, Mr. Saba, also a leading international logistics and support services expert, will share how the UAE and United Nations have combined to affect crisis response for years to come.