Hospitality News

Panda Holds PACE with Suppliers to Tackle Global Inflation

Published

3 years ago

January 26, 2023

admin

Panda Retail Company held its first annual event for suppliers: “PACE” (Panda Annual Collaborative Event), at The Venue Jeddah Corniche Hotel. PACE focused on empowering people to live a better life, discussing the local and international impacts of inflation, and finding solutions to ensure consumers are protected from the worst inflationary effects.

Inflation and food security

The CEO of Panda Retail Company, Dr. Bander Talaat Hamooh, confirmed the importance of establishing the “PACE” event, which comes as an extension of the support provided by wise leadership to find practical solutions and facilitate better customer experience in the retail sector. Dr. Hamooh was grateful for the submission of the government of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and His Royal Highness Prince Muhammad bin Salman, for a number of initiatives that contribute to reducing the effects of inflation on consumers in the Kingdom.

He added that Panda played a strong part in the “Ma tegla alik” campaign launched by the Federation of Saudi Chambers in collaborative with the Chambers of Commerce to provide basic food commodities at reduced prices, including over 40 basic items such as chicken, eggs, rice, milk, oils, meat, and others.

Hamooh said “as an extension of government initiatives, Panda Retail Company launched an innovative campaign entitled “Thabatn’aha”, to reduce and fix the prices of more than 300 commodities in all its branches around the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, assisting families in an economical consumer experience, in addition to providing solutions that ensure a more efficient shopping experience.”

He added, “The company is working with its strategic suppliers for practical solutions to absorb the effects of global inflation on customers so that they do not feel its repercussions and effects, which confirms its national duty, based on being the leading and most widespread chain of stores in the Kingdom.”

Supporting local industries

Among the main topics discussed at the “PACE” event was the importance of supporting national industries to strengthen the Saudi national economy. Panda Retail Company was keen to support the “Made in Saudi Arabia” program launched by His Highness the Crown Prince in March 2021, which is a national initiative affiliated with the Saudi Export Development Authority, and emanating from the National Industry Development and Logistics program (NIDLP). The program aims to stimulate national industries, encourage consumers to buy local commodities and develop the Kingdom’s exports to global markets.

Panda is one of the Kingdom’s large retail stores that dedicated branches and e-commerce to display national commodities conforming to the “Saudi Made” identity in order to increase the pride and loyalty levels by directing the purchasing power toward them through the “Made in Saudi Arabia” program, and through the marketing and promotional efforts that succeeded in increasing the value and status of national products in local markets.

Panda plays an important role in empowering people to live a better life, in line with the objectives of the “Quality of Life” program, one of the most important programs of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 which Panda has been proactively supporting since its launch by facilitating points of sales for SMEs to market their products in all its branches in the Kingdom.

Digitization and customer experience

The “PACE” event demonstrated Panda Company’s efforts in implementing a number of projects in the “Reformulating the Concept of Shopping” program, to keep pace with the world’s accelerated digital transformation in line with the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, which will reflect positively on sustainable development and create a competitive climate for customers’ best interests.

Panda now has highly innovative efficiency in improving customer experience, whether through the design of its branches spread across the Kingdom or through a digital entertainment shopping industry. This has resulted in massive transformation of rapid and unprecedented technological innovation and has been reflected in customer interaction providing distinctive shopping experiences as well as an improvement in customer purchasing habits.

By organizing the “PACE” event, Panda strengthened its role in redefining the retail customer experience, which contributes to achieving its vision of sustainable leadership in the retail market based on a creative approach to gaining customers’ trust, as well as sharing its positive view on the national economy.

Hospitality

HOP INTO EASTER AT MCGETTIGAN’S WITH FAMILY ROASTS, EGG HUNTS AND CLASSIC SUNDAY FAVOURITES

Published

2 days ago

April 1, 2026

Integrator Web-Admin

This Easter, McGettigan’s is bringing together hearty roasts, family-friendly activities, and laid-back celebrations across its venues in Dubai. From lively family days with quizzes and egg hunts to traditional Sunday roasts for a relaxed gathering, there is something for everyone this Easter Sunday.

Easter Family Roast & Quiz at McGettigan’s Ibn Battuta Gate

Expect a lively Easter Sunday packed with family-friendly entertainment, including a quiz and activities for all ages, alongside McGettigan’s signature roast. Younger guests can also enjoy an Easter egg hunt, adding to the festive atmosphere and making it a perfect day out for families.

Who – Families and groups
What – Easter Sunday Roast with family quiz, entertainment, and egg hunt
Where – McGettigan’s Ibn Battuta Gate

Easter Sunday Roast with Egg Hunt at Souk Madinat Jumeirah and Expo City

For a more relaxed Easter celebration, McGettigan’s at Souk Madinat Jumeirah and Expo City will host a laid-back family roast with a light touch of festive fun, including an Easter egg hunt for younger guests. Ideal for those looking to enjoy quality time with family in a more casual setting.

Who – Families and casual diners
What – Easter Sunday Roast with egg hunt
Where – McGettigan’s Souk Madinat Jumeirah and McGettigan’s Expo City

Traditional Easter Roast at McGettigan’s JLT and DWTC

For those who prefer to keep it classic, McGettigan’s JLT and DWTC will be serving up their traditional Easter Sunday roast, complete with all the hearty favourites and signature dishes the brand is known for. A perfect option for a relaxed gathering with friends or family.

Who – Friends, couples, and groups
What – Traditional Easter Sunday Roast
Where – McGettigan’s JLT and McGettigan’s DWTC

Hospitality

CELEBRATE EASTER WITH A FAMILY-FRIENDLY BRUNCH AT LA PISCINE,AL RAHA BEACH RESORT & SPA

Published

2 days ago

April 1, 2026

Integrator Web-Admin

Al Raha Beach Resort & Spa invites guests to celebrate Easter with a lively beachfront brunch at La Piscine. Taking place from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM on April 5, the Easter Brunch brings together great food, feel-good music and a vibrant, family-friendly atmosphere by the sea.

Set against La Piscine’s relaxed poolside and beachfront backdrop, the afternoon’s culinary offering features an international buffet with live stations, brought to life with a DJ and saxophonist spinning upbeat sets throughout the day. For younger guests, the experience leans into the spirit of Easter with great kids’ activities, including egg hunting, glitter face painting, and a dedicated kids’ corner.

Guests can also make the most of the long afternoon with complimentary access to the resort’s pool and beach, along with a Spa voucher, making it more than just brunch, but a full day out in the sun.

Easter Brunch Details
Location: La Piscine, Al Raha Beach Resort & Spa, Abu Dhabi
Time: 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM, April 5th

Kids Policy
Ages 5–12: 50% discount
Below 5: Complimentary

Hospitality

THE IMPACT OF AI IN THE F&B INDUSTRY: LEADING RESTAURANT TECH COMPANY HELPS RESTAURANTS STAY AHEAD WITH ITS AI-POWERED TOOLS

Published

3 days ago

March 31, 2026

Integrator Web-Admin

AI has been steadily transforming the F&B industry across production, distribution, food safety, supply chain and restaurant operations. Now as more restaurants are increasingly adopting AI-powered systems, these tools are becoming an active element in streamlining day-to-day operations, bringing a transformative shift within the industry. Supporting this shift is Foodics, a leading cloud-based restaurant operations and payment tech company in the MENA region through its AI-powered business intelligence solution, Foodics BI.

Numerous opportunities and challenges have been brought by AI across different sectors, particularly in the F&B and hospitality industry. Today, restaurateurs can leverage AI in various ways whether it’s improving overall operational efficiency, assisting customer-related services in front office, streamlining back-end operations, tackling food waste, forecasting demands and trends, enhancing guest journeys through personalized experiences, optimizing menus, improving marketing efforts, performance tracking and more.

By using AI, restaurant owners can operate their business with a data-driven approach. One of the significant advantages of AI-powered tools tailored for restaurants is its ability to analyze large volumes of real-time data, allowing restaurateurs to make sense of the information and transform it into insights that will help them make the right decisions. In an industry shaped by constantly evolving customer behaviour, rising operational costs, increased demand for efficiency, these tools are becoming more essential for restaurants looking to thrive and stay profitable.

At the forefront of this shift in the industry is Foodics. The Saudi-born restaurant operations and payment tech company is helping restaurateurs stay ahead in the industry by supporting them in navigating this evolving landscape through Foodics BI – their advanced AI-powered business intelligence tool that provides restaurants with real-time, data-driven insights for seamless restaurant operations and smarter decision making.

Over the past year, Foodics BI has been a gamechanger for restaurants in the region, enabling them to harness the power of their own business data to make smarter, faster and more strategic decisions that will drive operational efficiency, enhance guest experiences, increase profitability and unlock new revenue opportunities for growth.

Some of Foodics BI’s key features include revealing in-depth and real-time operational insights including sales performances and customers’ buying behaviour, AI-powered forecasting for smarter inventory planning to reduce food wastage, automated reporting and historical data analysis to identify seasonal changes and trends, all using predictive analytics. Additionally, Foodics BI enables seamless remote management, allowing operators to conveniently access and monitor restaurant data anytime and from any location.

By transforming data into meaningful and actionable insights, Foodics BI is empowering restaurants to operate efficiently, adapt to market changes and customer demands, and scale sustainably in a competitive industry.

Beyond restaurants, AI-powered systems are also transforming the wider F&B industry, such as supporting quality control and safety in food processing facilities by detecting defective and contaminated products, monitoring food production processes and ensuring product consistency, optimizing distribution routes throughout supply chains to reduce food spoilage, identifying functional ingredients, improving shelf-life predictions and more.

AI-powered tools are undeniably reshaping the food and beverage industry by offering solutions that help businesses streamline their operations efficiently, bring accuracy and innovation. As AI technologies evolve, their integration will continue to redefine and shape the F&B landscape.