Across many new hospitality, retail, and mixed-use developments in MENA (the Middle East and North Africa), the food and beverage conversation often begins with a simple question:
Which brands should we bring in?
While recognised restaurant brands can help create visibility and attract visitors, starting the process with brand selection too early can lead to long-term structural challenges for the asset.
The more important first step is F&B master planning.
F&B master planning is the strategic process of defining the role, positioning and mix of food and beverage within a development before any brands are introduced. It focuses on understanding the asset itself, the surrounding market, the target audience and the commercial objectives of the owner.
Without this strategic foundation, even strong brands can struggle if the concept mix, location within the asset or target customer base is not properly aligned.
Across hotels, mixed-use developments, and large-scale destinations, food and beverage should be treated as a core component of the asset strategy, not simply as a tenant category.
What F&B Master Planning Involves
Effective F&B master planning typically includes:
• Market research and demand analysis
• Competitive benchmarking within the catchment area
• Definition of the overall F&B positioning for the asset
• Concept mix strategy (cafés, casual dining, destination restaurants, grab-and-go)
• Guest journey and daypart mapping
• Spatial planning and allocation of F&B areas within the development
Only once these strategic foundations are defined does the brand curation phase begin.
From Strategy to Brand Selection
When master planning is done correctly, brand selection becomes significantly more effective.
Rather than searching for brands first and trying to fit them into the project, developers and owners can identify operators that align precisely with the strategy already defined for the asset.
This results in stronger concept coherence, better commercial performance, and a more compelling experience for visitors.
A UK Example of Structured F&B Planning
A strong example of this approach can be seen in the redevelopment of Battersea Power Station in London.
The project carefully structured its food and beverage mix across multiple zones of the development, defining the role of cafés, destination restaurants, casual dining, and everyday concepts before selecting operators.
Rather than simply filling available spaces with well-known brands, the developers created a curated ecosystem of venues that supports the broader identity of the destination and drives consistent footfall throughout the day.
This type of structured planning ensures that each venue contributes to the overall positioning of the development rather than operating as an isolated restaurant.
The Strategic Role of F&B Master Planning
Across MENA, where hospitality and mixed-use developments continue to expand rapidly, the opportunity for more structured F&B planning is significant.
For investors and developers, approaching food and beverage strategically from the earliest stages of development can unlock stronger commercial performance, clearer brand positioning, and a more cohesive visitor experience.
Effective F&B master planning defines the role of each venue within a development before brands are selected.