F & B Edition
privacy policy
Official Participation Policy & Regulations
1. Eligibility Criteria
Who Can Apply:
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Must be a UAE national (Emirati) with a valid Emirates ID.
(May apply as an individual or as a team)
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Age 18 years or older at the time of application.
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Must present an original food and beverage (F&B) business concept.
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Concepts may be new or already operating on a small scale (home-based, food truck, or pop-up).
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The concept must be scalable and suitable for operation inside Manar Mall.
Who Cannot Apply:
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Non-UAE nationals.
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Franchises or businesses owned by entities outside the UAE.
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Individuals or teams involved in legal disputes or regulatory violations related to food or business.
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Employees of RAK Chamber & Initiatives, Al Hamra, RAK Exhibition Center, Sheikh Saqr Foundation, or their immediate family members.
2. Application Rules
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All applications must be submitted through the official competition portal before the published deadline.
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Each applicant/team may submit only one concept.
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Submissions must include:
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Business concept overview
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Sample menu
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Branding mock-up or concept visuals
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Business and Financial plan
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Plagiarized or copied content will result in immediate disqualification.
3. Competition Stages
Phase 1 – AI Evaluation:
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All entries will be reviewed by an AI system to evaluate:
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Personal Documents
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Creativity and clarity
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Market potential
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Concept originality
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Business feasibility
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Phase 2 – Expert Shortlisting:
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20–30 shortlisted entries will be passed to international chefs for evaluation of menu and presentation potential.
Phase 3 – Live Presentation & Final Judging:
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Finalists will present their concepts in a live cooking event at Al Hamra International Exhibition & Conference Center.
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Final judging will be based on:
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Taste & quality
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Menu coherence
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Presentation
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Business potential
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4. Rules and Conduct
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All finalists must attend rehearsals and judging sessions in-person.
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The judges’ decisions are final and cannot be contested.
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Any misrepresentation or false claims will result in disqualification.
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Participants must agree to the use of their names, photos, and concepts for marketing and promotional purposes related to the competition.
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Winners must commit to operating their business for a minimum of one year in the awarded shop.
5. Intellectual Property
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All concepts remain the intellectual property of the applicants.
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However, by participating, applicants grant RAK SME and partners the right to showcase their concepts for promotional and documentation purposes.
6. Disqualification Grounds
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Submission of false or misleading information.
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Failure to comply with the event schedule and requirements.
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Use of discriminatory, offensive, or culturally inappropriate content.
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Attempts to influence or manipulate the judging process.