Urgent: Keta launches the “Aba’ad” initiative to bring Saudi local restaurants to the global stage — will it change the rules of the food industry?

A clear goal announces boundless ambitions: contributing to the development of a single Saudi brand with a global presence encompassing more than 1,000 branches. This is the essence of the ‘Abaad’ initiative launched by Keeta in Saudi Arabia, as a strategic framework aimed at moving local small and medium-sized restaurants from their local scope to global competition.

The value of the on-demand delivery sector in the Kingdom reached approximately $8.3 billion in 2025, and it is on track to more than double by 2031, creating immense opportunities for local establishments, as explained by Jason Shen, General Manager of Keeta in Saudi Arabia.

‘Abaad’ comes as an answer to a pivotal question: What should a delivery platform offer to the restaurant community it relies on? It is more than delivery and more than listing, according to Shen. The initiative aims to support more than 50,000 small and medium-sized establishments in over 20 cities, through three main pillars: a city-level support center, a system of digital and operational solutions powered by artificial intelligence, and a dedicated support program for high-quality Saudi stores.

Keeta has set measurable and trackable goals until 2030, including:

• Supporting at least 2,000 Saudi establishments to achieve a 50% or more improvement in revenue or operational efficiency.
• Training and empowering at least 20,000 Saudi establishments.
• Contributing to the development of one global Saudi brand (1,000+ branches), 10 national brands (100+ branches each), and 100 city-level brands (10+ branches each).

‘Abaad’ was officially launched in January 2026 during the first edition of the ‘Future Table’ forum in Riyadh, a quarterly forum aimed at building networks among Saudi merchants and sharing knowledge.

Shen noted that the most striking aspect when expanding to smaller cities was the great enthusiasm from restaurant owners, even before the official launch. He added that the richness of local food culture in cities like Hail, Abha, Jazan, Yanbu, and Taif represents real potential, and it is the reason for launching ‘Abaad’ to give these brands the tools to grow beyond their city and possibly beyond the Kingdom.

Shen also sees Keeta’s work aligning with the goals of Vision 2030, as the vision makes the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises and digital transformation a core pillar. Keeta’s work contributes on three levels: access (bringing local restaurants into the digital economy), capability (providing digital tools), and employment (a network of over 38,000 delivery riders providing economic opportunities, especially for Saudi youth).

Shen sent a direct message to small restaurant owners: “Come with your questions and ambitions, not just your menu.” He urged them to use the data provided by the platform and learn from it, emphasizing that every restaurant has a story worth reaching beyond its local scope, and that ‘Abaad’ aims to help these stories travel further.