Ras Al Khaimah Economic Zone (RAKEZ) participated as a Silver Sponsor in the eighth edition of Future Food Summit 2026, organised by the UAE Food Cluster and the UAE Food & Beverage Business Group under the patronage of the Ministry of Economy and Tourism. The annual summit brought together key players from the UAE’s food ecosystem to discuss food security, trade, supply chains and sector growth.

Throughout the summit, the RAKEZ team engaged with food and beverage manufacturers, suppliers, investors and industry stakeholders, highlighting Ras Al Khaimah’s competitive operating environment and the range of business and industrial solutions available to F&B companies.

Puneet Jain, Chief Strategy Officer at RAKEZ, speaking during the panel discussion on The Net-Zero Food Chain – Building Circular, Sustainable Systems at Future Food Summit 2026.

Ramy Jallad, Group CEO of RAKEZ, said: “Food and beverage manufacturing is an important part of the UAE’s industrial growth story, and Ras Al Khaimah offers a strong platform for companies looking to establish, scale and serve regional markets. At RAKEZ, our focus is on creating the right conditions for that growth through competitive industrial solutions, connected infrastructure and practical business support. As the sector continues to evolve, sustainability and resource efficiency will become increasingly important, and we are committed to helping manufacturers access the facilities, services and partnerships they need to grow responsibly and competitively.”

As part of RAKEZ’s participation, Puneet Jain, Chief Strategy Officer at RAKEZ, joined the panel discussion ‘The Net-Zero Food Chain: Building Circular, Sustainable Systems’, which explored how circular production models and stronger collaboration can support the UAE’s transition towards a more sustainable food system.

During the discussion, Jain highlighted the role economic zones can play in enabling circularity by bringing manufacturers, suppliers, logistics providers, technology companies and service providers together within connected ecosystems. He noted that closer collaboration can make it easier for businesses to share infrastructure and resources, including opportunities for by-products or materials from one operation to be repurposed as inputs for another.

He also emphasised the importance of making sustainable practices practical and commercially viable for F&B businesses, particularly through shared infrastructure and solutions around cleaner energy, water efficiency, waste management and resource recovery. By giving businesses access to the right facilities, technologies and partners, economic zones can help them operate more efficiently while remaining competitive as they grow.

The panel also examined opportunities to strengthen water reuse, waste segregation, recycling and recovery, and encourage greater resource exchange across the food value chain.

Through its participation in Future Food Summit 2026, RAKEZ reinforced its role in supporting the development of the food and beverage sector and advancing a more sustainable business ecosystem. This also supports the objectives of the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051 by contributing to a more resilient and future-ready food ecosystem.