Table of Contents
How to Start an Event Catering and Other Food Service Activities Business in Dubai with Meydan Free Zone
Catering is the food service business that travels to the client, not the one that waits for the client to arrive. Code 5620.00 covers the full spectrum of this model: event catering for individual occasions, weddings, gala dinners, corporate conferences, exhibitions, festivals, and contracted food service to institutions, offices, construction sites, and transport operations across a specified period. The global catering services market was valued at USD 154.71 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 229.92 billion by 2033 at a CAGR of 4.28%, according to IMARC Group¹. Event catering constitutes approximately 40% of total global catering output, with the corporate segment accounting for a further 35% of demand.
The UAE catering services market reached USD 2.25 billion in 2024 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of approximately 5.78% to reach USD 2.98 billion by 2030, according to Amit Research². The sector is anchored by a cluster of large established operators: Emirates Flight Catering prepares over 225,000 meals daily at Dubai International Airport, making it one of the world’s largest airline catering operations. ADNH Catering initiated the process to sell a 40% stake through an IPO in September 2024, with plans to expand into the healthcare and education institutional catering segments using the proceeds. Royal Catering Services, the National Catering Company (NCC), and Abela & Co. round out the major contract catering players.
Dubai and Abu Dhabi host a growing and intensive calendar of MICE events, meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions, that generate recurring high-value catering contracts. Emirates Flight Catering signed a four-year exclusive contract with the Dubai Airshow in February 2025. Beyond events, the UAE’s large corporate and industrial workforce drives consistent contract catering demand from offices, construction sites, and labour accommodation. No Meydan Free Zone third-party pre-approval is required for this code, though operators must comply with applicable UAE food safety regulations specific to their catering contract type and emirate of operation.
Who is this for?
| Audience Segment | Profile |
|---|---|
| Event and wedding catering operators | Operators providing food and beverage catering services for individual events, including weddings, private parties, gala dinners, government and diplomatic receptions, sporting events, entertainment festivals, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) gatherings. |
| Corporate and contract catering operators | Operators providing contracted food service to corporate offices, business parks, construction sites, and labour accommodation facilities on a recurring daily or periodic basis, delivering canteen, cafeteria, and workplace dining services under a catering management agreement. |
| Institutional catering operators | Operators providing contracted food service to institutional clients including hospitals, healthcare facilities, schools, universities, government departments, and military or civil defence establishments, delivering meals that comply with applicable dietary, nutritional, and food safety standards. |
5620.00 - Event Catering and Other Food Service Activities
| Category | Scope |
|---|---|
| Event, wedding and MICE catering | Event catering and MICE food service operations Provision of catering services for individual events including weddings, private celebrations, gala dinners, corporate conferences, exhibitions, sporting events, and entertainment festivals, covering menu planning, food preparation, on-site service, and post-event logistics. |
| Corporate and contract catering | Corporate canteen and contract catering operations Provision of contracted food service to corporate offices, business parks, industrial facilities, construction sites, and labour accommodation under catering management agreements, delivering canteen, cafeteria, and daily workplace dining services on a recurring scheduled basis. |
| Institutional catering | Healthcare, education and institutional catering operations Provision of contracted food service to hospitals, healthcare facilities, schools, universities, government departments, and public institutions, delivering meals that meet applicable dietary, nutritional, halal, allergen, and food safety standards for resident populations. |
Code 5620.00 covers catering activities for individual events and contracted food service over a specified period. It does not cover the operation of fixed-premises restaurants, cafes, or food service outlets open to walk-in customers (ISIC class 5610); the retail sale of food for home consumption (ISIC division 47); or food manufacturing and wholesale (ISIC divisions 10–11). It also does not cover bar and beverage service without an associated food catering component (ISIC 5630). Operators must comply with applicable UAE food safety requirements depending on catering contract type and emirate, including Dubai Municipality food safety standards for catering operations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA) requirements for operations in Abu Dhabi, and the UAE Federal Food Safety Law which applies across all emirates.
In short: if you provide food service at a client’s event or location, whether a one-off wedding or a recurring corporate canteen contract, no Meydan Free Zone pre-approval is required and you are in. If you operate a fixed-premises restaurant or retail food outlet, you are not under this parent code.
Third-Party Approval
Event Catering and Other Food Service Activities does not require pre-approval from any third-party regulatory authority as a condition of the Meydan Free Zone licence. Operators must separately comply with applicable UAE food safety regulations, including Dubai Municipality food safety requirements and the UAE Federal Food Safety Law, relevant to the specific catering contract type, client category, and emirate of operation.
Anti-Money Laundering Compliance
Event Catering and Other Food Service Activities is not classified as a Designated Non-Financial Business or Profession (DNFBP) under UAE anti-money laundering legislation, and catering operators are not subject to AML registration or reporting obligations specific to this licence category.
References
- ¹ IMARC Group, Catering Services Market Size, Share, Statistics and Report 2033 - https://www.imarcgroup.com/catering-services-market
- ² Amit Research / MarkNtel Advisors, UAE Catering Services Market Set to Grow 6% CAGR Through 2030 - https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/uae-catering-services-market-set-to-grow-6-cagr-through-2030--key-trends-growth-drivers-competitive-shift-and-leading-companies-royal-catering-services-emirates-catering-services-adnh-catering-markntel-advisors-302539906.html
- ³ Nexdigm, UAE Catering Services Industry Market Size, Growth Rate and Future Outlook to 2035 - https://www.nexdigm.com/market-research/insights/blog/uae-catering-services-industry/
- ⁴ Business Research Insights, Catering Services Market Size, Trends and Forecast to 2035 - https://www.businessresearchinsights.com/market-reports/catering-services-market-101335
- ⁵ Yahoo Finance / MarkNtel Advisors, UAE Catering Services Market, Key Trends, Growth Drivers and Leading Companies - https://finance.yahoo.com/news/uae-catering-services-market-set-104900163.html
