Fairmont Dubai is using its on-site hydroponic vertical farm to anchor a new food-and-beverage push, with the hotel repositioning PRONTO and Café Sushi as part of its 2026 dining strategy.
The bigger play, however, is operational. Rather than presenting on-site farming as a sustainability talking point, the hotel is framing it as a more practical sourcing model for hotel restaurants.
"Yes, we genuinely see it as part of the future, not just a passing trend," says Arnaud Thulliez, Food & Beverage Consultant at Fairmont Dubai. "For us, it's about creating a more thoughtful and controlled approach to sourcing by growing our greens on-site. This allows us to deliver a higher level of freshness and consistency, while supporting a more responsible way of operating."
The farm, operated with CRYSP Farms, supplies pesticide-free leafy greens grown in a controlled environment just steps from the kitchen. Fairmont Dubai says the system allows produce to be harvested on demand, cutting food miles and giving chefs a more consistent supply of key ingredients.
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