ne’ma and Taste of Dubai renew partnership to tackle food waste

The collaboration is aimed at integrating responsible food management

In a continued push toward national sustainability goals, ne’ma, the National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, announced its return as the Food Waste Reduction Partner for the 2026 edition of Taste of Dubai.

Collaborating with the Dubai edition of Taste is aimed at integrating responsible food management into the fabric of the UAE’s large-scale public events. The festival is set to take over the Dubai Media City Amphitheatre from February 6–8, where it expects to draw an audience of over 25,000 culinary enthusiasts.

Since ne’ma’s initial participation in the Taste festivals in 2024, collaborations across Taste of Abu Dhabi and Taste of Dubai have contributed to the diversion of more than 1,820kgs of food waste from landfill, prevented over 4,600kgs of carbion dioxide emissions, and produced 275kgs of compost to support local agriculture.

Meaningful opportunity

“Events like Taste of Dubai offer a meaningful opportunity to show that enjoyment and responsibility can go hand in hand. By raising awareness and demonstrating practical approaches, we can make food waste reduction achievable and part of everyday life,” commented Khuloud Hasan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer, Emirates Foundation, and ne’ma Steering Committee Secretary-General.

ne’ma reinforces the importance of consistency in advancing food waste reduction across the events and hospitality sector by returning to Taste of Dubai. Sustained engagement at large public festivals enables practical solutions to be embedded over time, supports alignment with national priorities, and helps normalize responsible food practices among diverse audiences.

“This is about embedding responsible practices into how we operate and using the shared experience of the festival to build greater understanding of food waste across our guests, chefs, and partners,” added Vicki Burn, Taste of Dubai Event Director.