Bringing together the brightest minds and leading industry figures from the global restaurant community, GRIF announces its return to the European market, setting the stage for the future with a gathering in the historic city of Edinburgh from October 7th to 8th.
The industry’s deal makers, tastemakers, and decision-makers are invited to a series of insightful study tours, roundtables, an industry think tank, and beyond, offering valuable opportunities for engagement and collaboration.
Dubai, UAE (September 2024): Over the past decade, GRIF (The Global Restaurant Investment Forum) has served as a vital platform, uniting over 1,000 restaurant operators, investors, and key stakeholders across the industry. In celebration of its 10th anniversary, GRIF is now set to host an exclusive gathering of leading restaurant operators and investors, this time in the vibrant city of Edinburgh from October 7th to 8th. This close-knit gathering of industry powerhouses is designed to cultivate valuable connections, drive strategic deals, and facilitate key discussions on the latest industry trends, aimed at propelling the global expansion of restaurant brands.
Celebrating 10 Years of GRIF:
Built on a strong sense of community and passion for the industry, GRIF has facilitated over 90 deals, including global expansions, hotel F&B partnerships, franchise agreements, strategic alliances, and investment ventures in the past. As an established innovation hub and deal-making forum, GRIF has hosted insightful briefings, conferences, and study tours in key global markets such as Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Amsterdam, London, and Nairobi. Now, under the leadership of Jennifer Pettinger-Haines, GRIF is entering its next chapter, celebrating its 10th anniversary by bringing together the operators and investors who have been instrumental to its success, alongside new industry leaders.
GRIF Edinburgh:
According to The Hospitality Market Spotlight report, Edinburgh’s revenue for full-service city-branded hotels surged by 22% in Q1 2024 compared to Q1 2023, underscoring the city’s flourishing appeal. A city steeped in culture and boasting numerous Michelin-starred restaurants and diverse hospitality offerings, Edinburgh creates the ideal backdrop for the GRIF gathering. Featuring a series of panel sessions at the Edinburgh International Convention Centre and roundtable discussions at the Virgin Hotel Edinburgh on key topics such as artificial intelligence, emerging markets, and global expansion, this gathering aims to highlight trends shaping the future of the hospitality industry, while the 2024 industry think tank session will set the agenda for GRIF 2025 in Istanbul, ensuring it addresses the pressing issues for the sector.
Jennifer Pettinger-Haines, the concept architect for The Global Restaurant Investment Forum, said, “I started GRIF to connect restaurants with the right investors, and it’s been incredible to witness its growth over the past decade. Having helped hundreds of brands expand internationally, our platform remains open to new brands and innovative investors, showcasing our support of the industry’s ongoing growth. We look forward to continuing these conversations in Edinburgh and would love to welcome operators and investors with exciting concepts.”
Renowned Speakers and Unique Experiences:
GRIF will also host an impressive lineup of expert speakers over the two days including Robin Rowand, Operating Partner at Trispan, Michael Willingham-Toxvaerd, Founder and Executive Director of Nightcap, Harry Goss, Partner and Foodservice lead at McWin, Asma Khan, Chef and Founder of Darjeeling Express & UN Chef Ambassador, Grace Harding, CEO of Ocean Basket Group, Faisal Shaker, Co-Founder & CEO at Modern Food Company, Lydia Forte, Group Director of Food and Beverage at Rocco Forte Hotels, Jillian MacLean, Founder & CEO at Drake & Morgan, Iain McPherson, Owner of Panda & Sons, Kate Nicholls, Chief Executive of UK Hospitality, Simon Farrow, Global Business Performance Director at Tao Group Hospitality and James Hacon, Managing Partner at Think Hospitality & Chairman at I am Doner.
Additionally, the programme features study tours, and networking receptions, offering opportunities to reconnect with industry peers and gain new insights. Local site visits are designed to inspire attendees, including a welcome lunch at the iconic The Balmoral, a reception at The Alchemist—an experiential bar and restaurant renowned for its creativity—and tours of acclaimed venues such as Somewhere by Nico, Dean Banks’ restaurants, Virgin Hotels Edinburgh, Kimpton Charlotte Square Hotel, W Edinburgh, Panda & Sons, The Tigerlily, The DogHouse by BrewDog, and Cardinal, among others.
Edinburgh’s hospitality industry is currently enjoying tremendous growth, with GRIF in Edinburgh presenting a fantastic opportunity to learn from industry leaders and exchange valuable insights to propel the sector forward. For more information on GRIF and to stay up to date on the latest events, please visit grif.com.
About the Global Restaurant Investment Forum (GRIF):
GRIF offers insight-packed programmes and unique networking opportunities that bring together the global restaurant community’s most ambitious and creative minds. Built around the pillars of investment, innovation, and inspiration, GRIF is a community that connects industry leaders and provides a constantly adapting platform to keep a finger on the pulse of the latest F&B trends while challenging its members’ mindsets to encourage an innovative approach towards the most important industry issues of the day. Carefully curated industry gatherings help to stimulate investments into new concepts and fund expansions into some of the world’s most exciting F&B destinations.
