Aside from games and other fun-filled activities, a wide range of Qatari concepts in the food and beverage (F&B) sector are making waves at the Summer Entertainment City (SEC), which runs for 11 weeks inside the Doha Exhibition and Convention Centre. According to SEC project director Adil Ahmed, around 80% of the F&B stalls, from cafes to burger joints, operating at the SEC’s food court are new brands conceptualised by Qatari entrepreneurs.

“We are quite pleased that Qatari entrepreneurs are stepping up and getting their brands to a venue like the Summer Entertainment City. There are also two ladies from ‘Glitter Cafe’ who started a wonderful setup. Their shop is always full and they have a fan following.
“The Qatari concepts have their own following. This is quite evident on social media such as live broadcast premiers on Twitter, and posts in other platforms. Because of this, you have a lot of people asking for that specific brand and location, which is exciting for us,” Ahmed told Gulf Times. He also lauded the steps taken by the Ministry of Economy and Commerce to simplify the procedures for opening up a local business. Citing one Qatari entrepreneur operating at the SEC food court, Ahmed said the owner was able to secure the necessary documents to run the business “in just a short time.”


Around 80% of the Qatari F&B stalls inside the Summer Entertainment City are new brands. PICTURE: Ram Chand



Many visitors flock to the food court to enjoy a variety of cuisine. PICTURE: Jayaram


“After getting his licence from the ministry, the business owner was able to come up with a concept in 48 hours … this is just some of the success stories we have at the Summer Entertainment City. Because of the success of his shop here, he could even generate capital to open up a new business outside from a single event,” Ahmed pointed out. Ahmed also said the SEC is also a venue that offers entrepreneurs the opportunity “to experiment” with their ideas or concepts, and get a feel of the market.
“These F&B concepts were not just put up by Qatari entrepreneurs, they offer something local and, most of all, something unique, which is why they are very successful in building a strong fan following. “These shops offer quality food products and the presentation is just wonderful,” Ahmed stressed, adding that most of the Qatari business owners are hands on in monitoring the progress of their businesses.