312 business meetings support UAE brands’ overseas expansion prospects

Six UAE brands held 312 business meetings with investors and prospective partners during their participation in the ‘Be My Franchise?’ exhibition in Istanbul, according to results announced by the Emirates Franchise Association on 26 October 2026. The meetings highlighted routes to overseas expansion spanning franchising, distribution and supply, rather than limiting growth opportunities to a single market-entry model.

Meetings to explore opportunities, not announced contracts

The Emirates Franchise Association, part of the Abu Dhabi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, concluded its participation in the exhibition’s 24th edition as part of efforts to expand UAE brands’ international presence and explore investment and commercial partnership opportunities. Meetings held by the participating brands focused on connecting with investors and prospective partners and discussing different forms of cooperation in overseas markets.

Through its pavilion, the association also held at least 90 meetings with officials, experts, franchise operators and investors. These provided an institutional networking channel alongside the brands’ meetings, with the aim of following up on opportunities and developing them into lasting commercial partnerships.

The key distinction when assessing these results is that the announced figures refer to business meetings and exploratory discussions, not signed franchise agreements or confirmed openings. Their significance for the UAE franchise community therefore lies in widening networks and testing prospective partners’ interest. Turning those contacts into actual expansion remains a subsequent stage requiring follow-up and assessment.

Six brands and routes beyond traditional franchising

The UAE pavilion featured Dates Farm, The Q Lab Café, Low Calories, Snow, Ice Juice Station and Blend. These brands span food and drink, health and food manufacturing, reflecting the range of businesses presenting opportunities to investors and partners at the exhibition.

Ice Juice Station and Blend participated with support from the Khalifa Fund, as part of efforts to help Emirati entrepreneurs and brands explore growth opportunities abroad. The programme enabled brands to introduce their businesses and franchise opportunities through presentations, alongside direct meetings with interested parties.

Aref Al Mazrouei, an association board member and head of the participating delegation, said the results reflected the variety of opportunities available to UAE brands in international markets. He explained that the growth routes explored extended beyond traditional franchise models to include distribution, supply partnerships and commercial cooperation with international partners.

This variety places the nature of each business at the heart of its expansion decisions. The programme was not confined to presenting opportunities to operate branded outlets; it also included contact with suppliers and prospective partners, and exploration of distribution channels. These are distinct routes and should not be treated as equivalent franchise agreements or settled commercial outcomes.

Understanding the market before choosing an entry model

The programme included a session entitled ‘The Franchising and Investment Ecosystem in the UAE’, which outlined the investment environment, available incentives and models for entering the UAE and Turkish markets. Activities combined introductions to brand opportunities with explanations of the investment context, rather than simply showcasing products or business concepts.

The programme also included one-to-one meetings with investors, brand owners, suppliers and prospective partners, as well as visits to Turkish markets. These visits aimed to build an understanding of consumer preferences and sales channels, and to explore distribution and commercial partnership opportunities, helping brands develop expansion plans suited to their target markets.

Al Mazrouei stressed that international exhibitions offer an opportunity to understand markets first-hand and test how well UAE brands meet investor and consumer requirements. He linked the identification of suitable opportunities to the nature of each brand’s business and its readiness to expand, making market knowledge an integral part of assessing an opportunity rather than a separate step in the growth decision.

Follow-up will determine the value for the franchise community

The exhibition brought together more than 200 brands and targeted over 30,000 visitors and investors from domestic and international markets. The latter figure represents the event’s target audience, not confirmed attendance. Within this setting, the UAE delegation was able to connect with a wide range of parties, from investors and suppliers to organisations involved in business development.

The association continues to use specialist international platforms to strengthen UAE brands’ readiness for overseas expansion and broaden their connections with investors and partners. The Istanbul results highlight franchising as one route for UAE businesses to grow and build partnerships across markets, alongside the other forms of cooperation discussed during the meetings.

For the UAE franchise community, the practical value of this participation lies in combining the presentation of opportunities with market knowledge and direct contact with prospective partners. The takeaway for brand owners is to categorise follow-up opportunities by partnership model, and assess the brand’s readiness and the suitability of both partner and market before moving from an initial meeting to an expansion commitment.