News

Foodics Acquires Online-Ordering Specialist & Invests In 3 Startups

The deal with UK-based Solo Venture was made at LEAP 2025, and will help create a seamless, all-in-one SaaS ecosystem for restaurants.

Published

1 year ago

February 19, 2025

Nour Nasir

foodics acquires online-ordering specialist and invests in 3 startups

MENA-based restaurant and payments technology provider Foodics has fully acquired Solo Venture, a UK-based company specializing in self-ordering kiosks and white-label online ordering solutions. The deal was reached at this year’s LEAP 2025 event in Riyadh and is part of Foodics’ strategy to create a seamless, all-in-one SaaS ecosystem for restaurants and catering firms.

Solo’s technology includes AI-driven self-service solutions, simplifying ordering and increasing profit margins. By integrating Solo into its platform, Foodics will soon be able to offer restaurants a comprehensive suite of tools covering everything from dine-in management to payments and analytics.

Ahmad Al-Zaini, CEO and Co-Founder of Foodics explained: “This acquisition is a significant step in our mission to build the most comprehensive restaurant management platform in MENA and beyond. To further support our ecosystem and the future of tech in the F&B sector, we are allocating $100M in strategic acquisitions and investments in Fintech, AI, and other transformative technologies over the coming three years”.

Beyond the Solo acquisition, Foodics is also backing three startups as part of its wider expansion plan:

Norma: A Greek AI-powered data analytics firm that enables business professionals to generate insights instantly, eliminating the need for technical expertise.
Add: A specialized accounting platform designed for small and medium-sized restaurants to simplify financial reporting and payroll management.
Arzaq Plus: A smart food and beverage supply chain platform that optimizes sourcing and logistics while introducing a “Buy Now, Pay Later” feature to the Foodics platform.

Also Read: Taager Secures $6.75M To Expand Social eCommerce In MENA

Anas Alghanim, Foodics’ Director of Corporate Development, emphasized, “At Foodics, every investment we make is aimed at creating valuable solutions that drive growth and deliver tangible success, ensuring that we empower our partners and customers to shape the future of the industry”.

The LEAP 2025 announcement coincides with the celebration of Foodics’ 10th anniversary. After supporting over 30,000 food and beverage businesses across 30 countries, Foodics continues to push the boundaries of restaurant management technology, helping companies streamline operations and enhance customer experience.

News

LUVED Is A New Curated Preloved Marketplace For The UAE

Sellers keep 100 percent of every sale and AI can build a listing in five seconds — though the app’s smartest tools are still coming.

Published

2 days ago

June 16, 2026

Joanna Melki

luved is a new curated preloved marketplace for the uae

Secondhand shopping has become mainstream in the UAE, but the experience is still scattered across resale sites, social media and informal group chats. LUVED, a mobile-first marketplace that launched in Dubai this month, is betting it can pull that activity into one place — and that the thing buyers and sellers actually want is not more inventory, but trust.

The app trades in what it calls circular luxury: preloved fashion and lifestyle pieces across men’s, women’s and children’s categories, bought, sold or given away peer to peer. Its main pitch is economics, with sellers keeping 100 percent of every sale under a zero-commission, fast payout model, while buyers are promised vetted pieces at lower prices.

Where LUVED is staking its reputation is verification. Sellers pass a KYC check, and items run through a two-layer authentication system powered by Entrupy that pairs instant AI screening with human expert review for high-value pieces. Authenticity certificates travel with each item, payments sit in escrow, and a buyer-protection package the company calls The Safety Net adds a 48-hour return window and dispute resolution. Door-to-door logistics removes the in-person meetups that make most resale deals awkward.

An in-app assistant called Luvbot — offering selling insights and demand-based recommendations — is soon to be introduced to the platform. Other features include autofill and dynamic pricing that lets users build a listing in as little as five seconds from three photos, plus a swipe-based feed, story-style drops and in-app chat in English and Arabic. Finally, a gifting layer, Luved & Gifted, lets users pass items to others inside the app rather than sell them.

Also Read: Logitech’s New Folding Mouse Is Designed For Work On The Go

“After moving to Dubai, I saw how difficult it was to sell or even give things away,” says founder and CEO Shaima Sibtain. The friction is real, and so is the competition. In resale, trust is won transaction by transaction — and that is the test LUVED has set itself.

The app is live on the App Store now, with Google Play to follow. The company also plans to expand across the region, which will be the real test for a marketplace staking everything on trust.