Today's Edition
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI)
The Khalifa Fund for Enterprise Development (KFED) has showcased 10 Emirati startups in smart agriculture, sustainable packaging, and food services during the Abu Dhabi International Food Exhibition (ADIFE), held as part of the Global Food Week.
The move aligns with KFED's mission to bolster food security, sharpen the UAE's competitiveness, and empower entrepreneurs.
Speaking to Aletihad, participating SMEs shared their entrepreneurial journey and growth model.
Khadija Abdullah, CEO of East Gate Bakery Equipment Factory, said the business began with her husband, Abdulraheem Qasem Al Marzooqi. When he bought his first bakery, they faced frequent maintenance problems, which pushed him to start over. Eventually, he began making the bakery equipment himself and earned a profit before teaching his workers how to assemble machines.
"In the beginning, bread production was completely handmade. Now our product supports food innovation by making the process fully automatic," she said.
Abdullah added that KFED helped the bakery participate in both local and international exhibitions. After ADIFE 2025, their goal is to expand beyond the UAE and Gulf countries and take part in major events.
Empowering Entrepreneurs
Mohamed Al Maysari, Founder of EXOTIC Colors – a company offering innovative solutions in IT consultancy, retails, integration, and import/export services – said the inspiration came from a "desire to bring truly unique ideas to the market."
"Our product serves all segments of society, from young to old, creating diversity in both experience and content. We aim to bring fresh and inclusive concepts that inspire the local food scene," he said.
He credited the supportive business environment that helped his company grow. "KFED has been the main driver and motivator. The vision and guidance of our wise leadership continues to empower entrepreneurs across the UAE," Al Maysari said.
Looking ahead, Al Maysari said: "Our next goal after ADIFE 2025 is to expand our reach across the GCC, addressing the region's food needs and contributing to a stronger and more resilient food ecosystem."
For Sara Aljneibi, founder of Iconic Solutions, a company supplying high-quality vending machines, entrepreneurship began at home where she learned the importance of good service."My father's guidance and support motivated me to start my own business and taught me the value of hard work, innovation, and believing in my vision," Aljneibi said.
Iconic Solutions now runs 24/7 smart vending machines for coffee, snacks, and customisable meals, with real-time online monitoring of stock and performance. With KFED's support gained exposure at ADIFE, opening doors to new partners and sites.
Her vision is to expand nationwide, "making the technology accessible to everyone" across government offices, universities, hospitals, and public spaces.
Competition and Self-reliance
Abdulrahman Alhosani, founder of Al-Dar Pickles, said that his business model blends competition with self-reliance.
"We innovate by offering customers a wide range of healthy products with no preservatives," Alhosani said.
He added that maintaining fair pricing is a key focus: "Our sustainability edge lies in competitive pricing across similar products."
Alhosani expressed his gratitude for the KFED's support, which helped expand the company's product line: "Thanks to KFED, we grew from 14 products to 165 different items."
As for the company's new steps, he said: "After 2025, our goal is to expand our reach as widely as possible and transform our retail and wholesale model."
Omar bin Jumah, founder of Bebax Coffee, views coffee as an expression of culture and community.
"Bebax Coffee is not just a coffee roasting company, we also help others build their own business by allowing them to use our brand and operate independently," he said
For him, product development is a continuous and collaborative process: "We always strive to develop new and creative products that contribute to our community and beyond," adding that they remain "open to new ideas from both our staff as well as regular clients."
Omar noted that KFED's support opened valuable opportunities for exposure. "KFED provided us with a wonderful platform to showcase our products to people from around the world."
Looking ahead, he added: "With a focus on food security, our next goal is to strengthen our sourcing network by partnering directly with sustainable and ethical suppliers."
