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Dubai Municipality Announces Registration Opening for the Second Edition of the Food Systems Excellence Program

Dubai Municipality has announced the opening of registration for the second edition of its “DM Food Elite” program, which aims to recognize leading food establishments in the industry that demonstrate outstanding commitment to the highest standards in food safety, nutrition, sustainability, innovation, social responsibility, and digital transformation.

The second edition of the program includes three main categories: independent restaurants, hotel restaurants, and fast-food outlets or cafeterias with multiple branches across the emirate.

Dr Sultan Al-Taher, Director, Food Safety Department at Dubai Municipality, said:
“The program serves as an outstanding platform to recognize food establishments that have played a key role in enhancing food safety systems according to global best practices. It also encourages them to continue excelling and innovating by leveraging advanced technology to improve quality of life in the emirate, while strengthening public-private partnerships that support Dubai’s leadership in building a safe, advanced, and sustainable food system.”

He added, “The first edition of Dubai Municipality’s Food Excellence Program achieved remarkable success, and we look forward to the second edition being broader in scope, with expectations of attracting more than 500 food establishments across the emirate.”

Dubai Municipality clarified that interested food establishments can access more information and register for the second edition of the program until August 08, 2025, by visiting the website: https://dmfoodelite.dm.gov.ae/.

Evaluation Indicators

The program uses a set of indicators to assess participating food establishments. The Food Safety and Nutrition Excellence criterion is based on the implementation of food safety systems, integrated nutrition, and measures taken to prevent foodborne illnesses. The Sustainability criterion includes environmental responsibility, social impact, and governance practices.

The Food Safety Culture criterion encompasses staff training, engagement, leadership and commitment, professional practices, and stakeholder involvement. The Digital Transformation criterion covers traceability and transparency, data-driven decision-making, and digitization of food safety processes. Lastly, the Innovation criterion evaluates the adoption of innovative and sustainable solutions for food safety and the promotion of healthy nutrition.

The Municipality noted that the winners of the second edition of the program will be announced during the 19th Dubai International Food Safety Conference, which will be organized by Dubai Municipality from November 17 to 19, 2025, at the Dubai World Trade Centre.