Gulf Hotels Group launches “Gulf Catering” subsidiary with central, R&D kitchen hub

BAHRAIN – Bahrain’s Gulf Hotels Group has established a new subsidiary, Gulf Catering, to expand its hospitality portfolio into the institutional and contract catering sector.

Anchored by a newly constructed, high-volume central production kitchen with an integrated R&D facility, the division aims to serve corporate offices, healthcare, industrial sites, schools, and large-scale events with a scalable, quality-focused operating model.

A Strategic Diversification into Scalable Foodservice

The launch of Gulf Catering represents a strategic move to leverage the group’s over 50 years of hospitality expertise into a new, high-growth service vertical.

Gulf Hotels Group CEO Ahmed Janahi described the initiative as a carefully considered step within a new vision, translating their premium food and service experience into an integrated model designed for operational efficiency and scale.

This diversification strengthens the group’s overall market position and reduces reliance on traditional hotel revenue streams by tapping into the steady demand of the business-to-business and institutional foodservice market.

Future-Focused Infrastructure with Cloud Kitchen Capabilities

The operational heart of the new venture is a purpose-built central kitchen complex engineered for high-volume production and multi-site distribution.

A key feature is a dedicated research and development (R&D) kitchen, which Gulf Catering General Manager Raed Mayoof highlighted as central to menu creation, testing, and refinement.

This allows for innovation and the customization of menus to meet the specific cultural and operational needs of diverse client sectors, from corporate offices to hospitals, while ensuring consistent quality and safety standards.

The facility is also designed with a future-focused model, incorporating modern capabilities like cloud kitchen operations to support flexible service delivery.

Consolidating Market Position with an Integrated Service Model

By entering the contract catering arena, Gulf Hotels Group is directly competing in a segment that demands rigorous logistics, consistency, and cost management.

The integrated operating model, combining central production with sector-specific R&D, is designed to deliver the service standards associated with the Gulf brand at an institutional scale.

This move not only creates a new revenue stream but also positions the group as a comprehensive hospitality solutions provider in Bahrain and potentially across the region, capable of managing everything from a hotel banquet to a corporate campus food program under a unified, trusted brand known for quality and reliability.

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