Scaling Local Success: Supporting Emirati Entrepreneurs Through talabat Grow

At a glance

Partnership with Dubai SME (Dept. of Economy & Tourism) to support the D33 Economic Agenda
12-month program supporting Emirati-owned restaurants
Delivered through talabat grow SME enablement platform
Focus on training, mentorship and commercial support
Supporting local entrepreneurship and SME ecosystem growth

Through Emirati Chef’s Table Plus, talabat is helping local businesses scale by combining training, technology and commercial support to strengthen the UAE’s SME ecosystem.

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) play a vital role in shaping local economies, driving innovation and creating jobs. As Dubai marches toward its D33 goal of doubling the city’s economic footprint, the mandate to transition local talent into scalable digital businesses has never been more crucial. In the UAE, supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs is a key national priority, particularly for homegrown businesses looking to grow sustainably in an increasingly digital marketplace.

Launched officially at the World Governments Summit, the Emirati Chef’s Table Plus is talabat’s flagship response to this national priority. In collaboration with the Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Dubai SME), part of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, this initiative moves beyond traditional mentorship to offer a comprehensive, 12-month commercial roadmap for Emirati-owned restaurants.

talabat Grow program for Emirati entrepreneurs

Building on the success of the original Emirati Chef’s Table program focused on brand awareness, this enhanced initiative is designed for commercial acceleration. By leveraging the talabat grow enablement platform, Emirati-owned restaurants gain access to the same high-level data and digital tools used by global franchises. talabat is bridging the gap to long-term success through a structured model of training, mentorship, and commercial enablement.

The program is divided into two critical phases:

The Scaling Bootcamp: An intensive six-week period focusing on operational excellence, menu engineering for delivery, and digital marketing.
Continuous Enablement: A long-term support phase where entrepreneurs receive one-to-one advisory and performance optimization to ensure their growth is both profitable and sustainable.

"Through this strategic partnership with talabat, we are enabling Emirati-owned restaurants to scale with confidence, strengthen their competitiveness, and play a lasting role in Dubai's food and hospitality ecosystem."
Ahmad Al Room Almheiri, Acting CEO of Dubai SME

By combining Emirati culinary heritage with talabat’s technological infrastructure, the initiative does more than help restaurants navigate the digital marketplace, it empowers them to lead it.

Connecting Supply and Demand: Building a Digital Supply Ecosystem for Saudi Arabia

At a glance

HungerStation partnership with Abdullah Al Othaim Markets (400+ stores, 100+ cities)
Integrated digital supply model linking retail, hospitality and consumers
End-to-end operational system from order to delivery
Expands partner reach and supports more efficient, scalable trade
Enables stronger participation in a digitally connected economy

Through its partnership with Abdullah Al Othaim Markets, HungerStation is enabling a new model of digital supply.

As Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector continues to grow, businesses face increasing pressure to access reliable supply, respond to demand quickly and operate efficiently across multiple channels. Traditional supply models can be fragmented, limiting the ability of restaurants, hotels and cafes to scale and adapt.

HungerStation is helping to address this by building more integrated, platform-enabled supply systems. Through an extended strategic partnership with Abdullah Al Othaim Markets, one of the Kingdom’s largest national retailers, the company is connecting supply and demand across a unified digital ecosystem.

The partnership combines Al Othaim’s extensive retail network, spanning more than 400 branches across 100+ cities, with HungerStation’s technical and operational infrastructure. Together, this creates a new route for goods to move efficiently across the value chain, supporting both hospitality businesses and individual consumers.

At the core of the collaboration is deep operational integration. Orders placed through digital channels are managed end-to-end through dedicated teams responsible for receipt, preparation, shipping and delivery. This ensures a seamless and reliable experience, while enabling partners to respond more effectively to real-time demand.

This model goes beyond traditional retail partnerships. By embedding logistics, technology and supply into a single system, HungerStation is enabling partners to expand their reach, improve responsiveness and participate more fully in a digitally driven economy.

"This partnership reflects our ambition to build advanced operating models that connect national retail networks with growing demand, improving efficiency and customer experience across the Kingdom."
Ali Aldamanhori, CEO, HungerStation

The impact extends across the broader ecosystem. By improving access to supply, the partnership supports business growth, strengthens operational resilience and enables more efficient distribution of goods across cities. This contributes to increased commercial activity across partners, suppliers and local markets.

As part of Delivery Hero’s wider ecosystem, initiatives like this demonstrate how platforms can act as economic amplifiers. Not only facilitating transactions but enabling new commercial models that drive value across entire sectors.

Empowering Women Across the Platform Economy in Türkiye

At a glance

Women-led restaurants thriving across Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir
Supporting entrepreneurship, business growth and digital participation
Enabling flexible earning opportunities for women riders
Helping challenge barriers and expand economic inclusion
Part of a platform where opportunity and demand are connected at scale

Through Yemeksepeti, Delivery Hero is enabling women to build businesses, access new income opportunities and participate more fully in the digital economy.

Across Türkiye, women entrepreneurs and workers are playing an increasingly important role in shaping local economies. Yet barriers to access, from funding and visibility to flexible work opportunities, can limit participation and growth.

Yemeksepeti is helping to address this by creating a platform ecosystem where women can start, scale, and sustain their businesses, while also accessing new forms of flexible work. Through its reach, infrastructure, and services, the platform is enabling women to participate in and benefit from digitally driven demand.

The impact is visible across the country, with women-led restaurants in key economic hubs such as Istanbul, Ankara and İzmir. From traditional Turkish cuisine to desserts and emerging international concepts, women entrepreneurs are building diverse and growing businesses through the platform.

Behind these numbers are real stories of resilience and growth. In Gaziantep, Türkan Ev Yemekleri expanded its delivery operations through Yemeksepeti, continuing to serve its community even during periods of crisis. In İzmir, Angelique Desserts successfully pivoted to a cloud kitchen model during the pandemic, using the platform to reach new customers and rebuild its business. Across the country, women-led restaurants are using digital tools, delivery services, and promotional campaigns to grow their customer base and scale operations.

"Just when we thought everything was over during the pandemic, we were reborn by selling online with Yemeksepeti."
Berrin Şenol, Founder, Angelique Desserts

The platform’s impact extends beyond entrepreneurship. Yemeksepeti also supports women riders through its delivery network, offering flexible earning opportunities and helping to challenge traditional gender norms in a male-dominated sector. For many, this work provides not only income, but independence and confidence.

Together, these stories highlight how platform-enabled ecosystems can create meaningful economic participation. By connecting demand with opportunity, Yemeksepeti enables women to generate income, grow businesses, and build careers on their own terms.

As part of Delivery Hero’s wider ecosystem, this reflects a broader role as an economic amplifier – where increased access to customers and flexible work drives value for individuals, businesses and communities alike.

Enhancing rider wellbeing: Scaling the “Summer Together” initiative

Summer Together rider wellbeing initiative in the UAE

At a glance

Annual “Summer Together” rider wellbeing program at talabat
60+ climate-controlled rest areas and solar-powered “smart boxes”
Strategic partnerships with MoHRE, Emarat, and 3PL providers
462,000+ rest area visits and 100% of the fleet equipped with summer kits
Strengthening occupational health standards within the delivery ecosystem

Through its “Summer Together” initiative, talabat is improving rider wellbeing by combining infrastructure, equipment, and partnerships to create safer, more supportive working conditions across the UAE.

Maintaining rider safety and wellbeing during extreme weather is a critical operational priority, requiring coordination across the entire delivery ecosystem. In the UAE, talabat’s “Summer Together” initiative has evolved from a 2023 pilot into a nationwide infrastructure project, built on the strength of public-private partnerships. The program works closely with the Third-Party Logistics (3PL) providers who manage rider fleets, ensuring safety measures are embedded in everyday operations.

This collaborative model is supported by key government bodies, including the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) and Abu Dhabi Mobility (AD Mobility), to align platform efforts with national occupational health standards. A central component of this synergy is the deployment of specialized rest infrastructure. By partnering with service station operator Emarat, talabat has placed air-conditioned rest areas at strategic fuel stations across the Emirates, providing riders with accessible, high-quality environments to recharge between deliveries.

The infrastructure also uses sustainable technology to meet the demands of a modern city. Solar-powered “smart boxes” operate 24/7, offering quiet areas for hydration, device charging, and maintenance tools. These stationary hubs are complemented by a flexible fleet of mobile air-conditioned buses, which are deployed across urban zones targeting areas with high concentrations of riders. To date, these facilities have supported over 462,000 visits, providing a vital touchpoint for hydration and rest.

At a Glance

Rest area visits

462,000+

supported across the UAE

Fleet coverage

100%

of delivery fleet equipped with summer kits

Beyond physical stations, the initiative ensures that every rider is equipped for the environment through their respective 3PL partners. Currently, 100% of the delivery fleet has access to summer kits featuring cooling snoods and thermal bottles. This is further supported by more than 20,000 shaded waiting areas secured through partnerships with local restaurants and cloud kitchens, ensuring temperature-controlled spaces are never far away.

By integrating technology with physical logistics and regulatory alignment, the “Summer Together” program demonstrates how platforms can act as a catalyst for better industry standards. By working alongside 3PL partners and government authorities, talabat is helping to build a more resilient and supportive delivery ecosystem, ensuring that the growth of the digital economy remains rooted in a clear commitment to rider wellbeing and safety.