Restaurant and Café Owners Association Partners with Saudi Franchise Live 2027

Masar Expo and the Restaurant and Café Owners Association have announced a strategic partnership for Saudi Franchise Live™ 2027, aimed at supporting brand growth and developing opportunities for expansion through franchising. The announcement coincides with the association’s training initiatives, including five free programmes and a practical marketing bootcamp in Jeddah, combining a focus on expansion with skills development within businesses.

A partnership to support brand growth through franchising

According to the exhibition’s news page, the Restaurant and Café Owners Association is joining Saudi Franchise Live™ 2027 as its strategic partner for restaurants and cafés. The page gives the exhibition’s opening date as 15 January 2027, with brand growth and opportunities for franchise expansion at the heart of the announced partnership.

The page also lists B Franchise as the franchise consultancy partner and Takhlees Expro as the logistics partner. The announcement therefore brings together an association representing restaurant and café owners with consultancy and logistics partners, each with a defined role at the exhibition.

The direct relevance to Saudi Arabia’s franchise community lies in the partnership’s stated aim: supporting brand growth and developing opportunities to expand through this business model. This is an exhibition partnership announcement, not news of franchise agreements for specific brands or new branch openings. That distinction matters for business owners following industry events: partnerships should be understood within their stated scope, rather than treated as investment outcomes already achieved.

Five free programmes covering operational skills

Alongside the exhibition partnership, the association has announced five specialist training programmes in collaboration with the National Centre for Facilities Management and Hospitality, known as Fahm. The initiative aims to develop professional skills and improve workforce performance in restaurants, cafés and hospitality. Full support from Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development makes participation free of charge.

The programmes cover customer relationship management, excellence in restaurant service, café and beverage service, kitchen operations fundamentals, and operational sustainability in hospitality and entertainment. These subjects address different aspects of day-to-day work, from customer interactions and service delivery to kitchen operations and sustainability practices.

Duration varies by programme. Customer relationship management and operational sustainability each run for two days, while excellence in restaurant service, café and beverage service, and kitchen operations fundamentals each run for three days.

The association has invited interested participants to register using the QR code accompanying its announcement or through online registration. Business owners in the franchise sector can consider these programmes as staff development options tailored to different job requirements, while checking attendance and registration arrangements with the organiser before committing their teams.

Jeddah bootcamp moves beyond execution to analysis

The second initiative is the Advanced Marketing bootcamp, taking place in Jeddah from 15 to 19 November 2026, excluding 17 November. Sessions will be held at the premises of the Majid bin Abdulaziz Society for Development and Social Services, from 5 pm to 10 pm.

The bootcamp is organised jointly by The Way and the Restaurant and Café Owners Association, with the participation of the Majid bin Abdulaziz Society for Development and Social Services. It will be delivered by business development consultant and marketing expert Talal Al-Sharif, with Jahez serving as the programme’s strategic partner.

The content focuses on moving beyond delivering campaigns and tasks to analysing problems, understanding market variables and evaluating options, leading to marketing plans that can be implemented and measured. According to the announcement, the programme includes training materials, practical tools, professional guidance, access to academy membership and job opportunities for participants.

The participation fee is SAR 1,700, with a SAR 200 discount for association members, bringing their fee to SAR 1,500 when using the advertised discount code. The organisers also offer payment in instalments through Tamara. This paid bootcamp is distinct from the five free programmes in its fees, content and delivery arrangements.

Different options for brand owners

The association’s announcements cover three distinct strands: an exhibition partnership intended to support brand growth through franchising, free training in operational and service skills, and a paid bootcamp to develop marketing practice. Their timing does not make them a single programme; each initiative has its own announced partners, content and arrangements.

Keeping these distinctions clear allows brand owners and franchisees to identify what best suits their priorities. Those looking to improve customer service can review the operational programmes, while those seeking to strengthen their marketing teams’ capabilities can assess the bootcamp. The exhibition partnership, meanwhile, remains news about the networking and expansion opportunities targeted by the January event.

Practical takeaway: Identify your business’s needs first, then check the details, fees and dates of the relevant initiative. When planning, distinguish between developing your team now and exploring franchise expansion opportunities at the forthcoming exhibition.