FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Dubai’s Food & Beverage Startup Scene Gets a Bold New Stage with “Off the Menu”
Dubai, UAE – June 17, 2025 — The region’s most ambitious food & beverage founders will step into the spotlight at “Off the Menu”, a first-of-its-kind event taking place on June 26th 5:30 – 9:00 PM, curated by leading F&B innovation expert Seda Solmaz, Founder & CEO of Idea Atelier.
While “startup” has become synonymous with tech, F&B founders face a very different journey, one that’s often overlooked. Unlike apps or SaaS tools, these entrepreneurs are building physical products for human consumption, where every detail — from formulation and packaging to supply chain and retail readiness — must be figured out early, with little structured support.
Off the Menu is the first event in the region built exclusively for F&B startups — not to pitch for funding, but to gain strategic insight, real connections, and practical tools across the entire value chain. With a curated guest list of founders, investors, suppliers, collaborators and retailers, it’s a targeted, intimate space for bold conversations and meaningful momentum.
Agenda Highlights Include:
● From Idea to MVP 💡– our first panel will cover navigating the early-stage product journey, from a lightbulb moment to an actual product.
Our speakers include Olly Joshi, Founder, Pure Filth UAE; Rabail Ali, Founder, Good Candy UAE; Maya Ibrahim, Founder, More.Than Noodles UAE expertly moderated by Seda Solmaz, Founder & CEO of Idea Atelier.
● From Start-Up to Scale-Up 📈 – our second panel will cover lessons in growth, distribution and leadership, what it really takes to build momentum.
Our speakers include Mazen Kanaan, Co-Founder, House of Pops UAE; Sebastien Herriau, Co-Founder, Rite. UAE; Erika Doyle, Founder & CEO, Drink Dry UAE expertly moderated by Rana Baydoun, Global Senior Channel and Ecosystem Manager, SIG Group UAE.
● The Exit: From Dream to Deal 🔑 – lightning talk – a raw, honest look at what it takes not to only build but exit your startup successfully.
Our speaker is the one and only Mahmoud Adham, Ex-Founder & CEO, Munch Box UAE and Board Member, Virtual Advisory Board.
● From Pitch to Funding 💰– our third panel will focus on how to craft a compelling pitch, attract the right investors and secure funding at the right time that fuels growth.
Our speakers include Nader Amiri, Founder, Homegrown Ventures UAE Partner in a VC; James Dawson, Founder, Unpack Marketplace Agency; Kavita Madhvani, Founder, Fighter Shots UAE Angel Investor; Liliana Slowinska, Founder, Below Farm UAE expertly moderated by Sascha Dutta, F&B Consultant, Foodpreneurs Collective UAE.
● From Disruption to Acquisition 🤝 – our fourth panel will focus on how founders can build brands worth buying and what major FMCG’s are looking for. Our speakers include Didem Molay Sevin, Regional Marketing Lead, Unilever Food Solutions MEAP; Milad Rouhana, Managing Director, Perfetti Van Melle MEAP; expertly moderated by Olga Bezukladova, Head of Regional Innovation, Givaudan.
● Cracking The Retail Code 🛒 – lightning talk – we will hear all about the retailer’s perspective on what they are really looking for and how to stand out on shelf.
Our speaker is Warwick Gird, General Manager Marketing, Spinneys. “As someone who’s worked across all continents with some of the most exciting F&B brands, I know the unique challenges founders face — especially in this region,” says Seda Solmaz, Founder and CEO of Idea Atelier. “Off the Menu offers space for real talk, real tools and real relationships. And it’s only the beginning.”
The event also marks the conclusion of the first cohort of Seda’s From Zero to Hero Startup Advisory, a quarterly program designed to support F&B startups fast-track their journey from idea to market — with a focus on strategy, differentiation, bold positioning and creating real value across the F&B ecosystem.
🔗 View full event details here: https://bit.ly/45iMqjB
About Seda Solmaz
Founder and CEO of Idea Atelier, Seda Solmaz is a globally recognized innovation catalyst on a mission to revolutionize Food & Beverage for healthier lives and a sustainable future. For over two decades, Seda Solmaz has been a transformative force in the F&B industry, driving both revenue and profitability growth through innovation with purpose.
She has proudly served as a permanent judge for the Gulfood Innovation Awards since 2018. Featured on Dubai Eye 103.8, she is a sought-out speaker at industry events including Gulfood, Gulfood Green, Saudi Food Manufacturing, Forbes Middle East Summit, and more.
About Idea Atelier
Idea Atelier is a Dubai-based boutique innovation consultancy, partnering with Food and Beverage manufacturers to create bigger, bolder ideas and turn them into commercially successful products. Led by Seda Solmaz, its unique co-creation approach distinctively helps companies break down category norms, innovate with purpose and bring deliciously disruptive products to market — fast.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Seda Solmaz
+971 56 993 5016