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

2 years 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

Abu Dhabi’s Robot Kitchen Is Serving Up Biryani, Not Burgers

Circus SE wants to put a tiny automated factory inside the buildings where Gulf residents live and work, bypassing part of last-mile delivery.

Published

6 days ago

October 20, 2026

Nour Nasir

abu dhabi's robot kitchen is serving up biryani not burgers

Circus SE

The most telling thing about a new autonomous kitchen now running in Abu Dhabi’s Marina Square is what it won’t cook:

“We don’t do fast food,” says Nikolas Bullwinkel, Founder and CEO of Circus SE. “We’ve actively decided not to build a machine that can only do burgers”.

Instead, the CA-1 system is built around pot-based cooking: curries, pastas, soups and rice dishes. After experimenting with highly personalized recipes, Circus deliberately leaned back toward recognizable food. “We’re going with a chicken biryani because you know it,” Bullwinkel says of the AED 40 dish.

circus se ca-1 robot system

The Germany-based robotics and food technology company operates across eight countries, and Abu Dhabi is its first deployment outside Europe. More locations are expected there and in Dubai.

In Germany, its units can be placed in supermarkets, gas stations, airports and hospitals. In the Gulf, Bullwinkel wants them inside residential and office buildings, replacing some of the complexity of last-mile delivery. “We’re basically bringing a very tiny factory a few square meters into your building,” he says. Catering company Royal Prestige supplies the ingredients and knowledge of local tastes.

The CA-1 manages up to 36 refrigerated ingredient silos alongside automated induction cooking, robotic plating and a self-cleaning dishwasher. Two robotic arms move ingredients through the system with minimal human intervention. It can produce up to 120 hot meals an hour, and a meal such as rice and curry can take around three to four minutes.

Also Read: Ooredoo Qatar’s 5G+ Network Is Built For Machines As Much As People

Five cameras and multiple sensors monitor heat, temperature and consistency, an attempt to approximate what a chef perceives. “You can hear something gets burned, you can smell it, you can see it at some point,” Bullwinkel says. CircusOS, the company’s operating system, adjusts recipes in real time.

You might think of the platform as a threat to kitchen staff, but Bullwinkel frames Circus as a way for chefs to develop recipes and distribute them at scale. With that being said, rising labor costs and shortages are also part of his case for automation.