DEAL Holdings Unveils The Food & Beverage Group, with Colin Clague Appointed Global Culinary Director and First Dubai Locations Announced
Dubai, UAE – 16th October 2025
DEAL Holdings, one of the UAE’s most forward-looking investment and development firms, has launched The Food & Beverage Group (The FAB Group) — a new hospitality powerhouse set to redefine how the Middle East experiences dining, culture, and community.
The FAB Group brings together world-class culinary talent, global partnerships, and homegrown creativity to develop a new generation of restaurants, bakery concepts, and lifestyle destinations across the region.
As part of its launch, DEAL Holdings has appointed award-winning chef Colin Clague as Global Culinary Director and Partner, marking a significant step forward in the Group’s mission to elevate the region’s culinary standards.
“With the launch of The FAB Group, we are creating a platform that celebrates craftsmanship, culture, and creativity,” said Abdalla Al Mheiri, CEO of DEAL Holdings. “Our ambition is to shape how people experience food and social life across the region — blending world-class expertise with the warmth and authenticity of our local communities.”
Expanding Excellence Across the Region
Over the next five years, The FAB Group will launch a minimum of 25 new venues across the UAE, while introducing a curated collection of internationally acclaimed boutique brands to the wider GCC.
Partnering with top-performing culinary innovators and specialists from the UK and Europe, the Group’s portfolio will span everything from Michelin-level gastronomy and contemporary fine dining to chef-led premium casual restaurants, lifestyle cafés, and boutique concepts.
This fusion of global expertise and regional insight is designed to redefine how the Middle East experiences food, culture, and connection — celebrating craftsmanship at every level, from the kitchen to the community.
The first two FAB Group locations have been confirmed at Vida Hotel & Residences, Emirates Hills, with additional venues and brand announcements to follow soon. These openings will also see the creation of over 90 new jobs in Dubai, with a focus on local recruitment and talent development within the UAE hospitality sector.
Building the Foundations of Culinary Innovation
As part of its strategic expansion, DEAL Holdings has invested heavily in the acquisition and upgrade of a 45,000-square-foot Central Kitchen & Bakery facility in Musaffah, Abu Dhabi.
The site will serve as The FAB Group’s research & development hub, dedicated to product innovation, quality assurance, and large-scale production. Designed to support rapid scalability, it will power both the Group’s in-house restaurant brands and cater to external clients — producing artisan bakery lines, desserts, sauces, and ready-prep components to ensure consistent excellence across every concept.
The facility is being re-engineered to international HACCP standards, with advanced automation, temperature-controlled distribution, and dedicated R&D kitchens for recipe testing and brand development.
Alongside its Musaffah operations, The FAB Group is actively expanding into Abu Dhabi’s retail and dining landscape and is currently identifying a second production site in Dubai to meet anticipated regional demand.
A Vision Rooted in Lifestyle and Community
The launch of The FAB Group reflects DEAL Holdings’ broader mission to invest in infrastructure, innovation, and community-driven platforms that support the UAE’s long-term growth in hospitality and leisure.
“Our investment into The FAB Group is about more than restaurants — it’s about creating the ecosystem that allows world-class concepts to grow from within the UAE,” said Abdullah Mohammed Al Mheiri, Chairman of DEAL Holdings. “By investing in infrastructure, people, and ideas, we are building the foundation for sustainable, scalable excellence.”
