Three-day initiative by QOOT – Lebanon Agrifood Innovation Cluster, in collaboration with Spinneys, brings local innovation closer to markets and consumers
Beirut, Lebanon – September 2026: QOOT – Lebanon Agrifood Innovation Cluster, in collaboration with Spinneys, hosted “Roots of Innovation,” a three-day celebration of Lebanese agrifood innovation held from September 17 to 19 at The Hub, Antelias.
Under the overarching message “From Lebanon to the World – Innovating Today, Sustaining Tomorrow,” the initiative brought together producers, entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, retailers, ecosystem stakeholders and consumers to showcase Lebanese Agrifood Innovations and explore how innovation can translate into greater market access, stronger partnerships and a more sustainable food system.
More than a product exhibition, Roots of Innovation created a platform connecting innovation with real market opportunities. Across three days, participating businesses and innovators showcased their products and solutions, engaged directly with consumers, met with Spinneys category managers and interacted with stakeholders from across Lebanon’s agrifood ecosystem.
The event opened on September 17 with a high-level gathering that brought together private and public sector representatives, international partners and members of Lebanon’s agrifood and innovation ecosystem. Hassan Ezzeldine, Executive Chairman of Gray Mackenzie Retail Lebanon, addressed the role of retail in bringing Lebanese innovation closer to consumers, while Nabil Schumman, President of QOOT Cluster, highlighted the Agrifood Innovation Award (AFIA) and the journey from recognition to market.
The opening also featured Alessandro Vittadini, EBRD Lebanon, who addressed financing innovation and supporting enterprises to scale; and H.E. Frank Mollen, Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, who shared perspectives on international cooperation and the Netherlands’ experience in agrifood innovation.
Representing the public sector, Dr. Rima Younes, representing H.E. the Minister of Economy and Trade, addressed market access, consumer confidence and export opportunities; Fadi Ghanem, representing H.E. the Minister of Agriculture, highlighted agricultural innovation, value addition and sustainable value chains; while Adel Al Chabab, Director General at the Ministry of Industry, addressed industrial innovation and competitiveness.
Together, the interventions highlighted the importance of collaboration across policy, finance, industry and retail in creating an enabling environment for Lebanese agrifood businesses to innovate, access markets and grow.
The opening also spotlighted participating innovators through “60 Seconds to the Shelf,” during which exhibitors presented their journey from idea and innovation to market-ready product. An official launch moment and guided Innovation Walk gave institutional guests and stakeholders the opportunity to discover the participating innovations first-hand, followed by tasting, sampling, networking and consumer engagement.
Nabil Schumman, President of QOOT Cluster, said: “Lebanon has no shortage of ideas, talent or entrepreneurial energy. The challenge is ensuring that promising innovations have the support, connections and market access they need to grow. Roots of Innovation was designed to help bridge that gap, bringing innovators together with retailers, consumers and ecosystem partners and creating opportunities that can extend well beyond these three days. Our ambition at QOOT is to help Lebanese agrifood businesses become stronger, more competitive and better positioned to take their products from Lebanon to the world.”
The second day placed particular emphasis on retail readiness and market access, with participating innovators taking part in dedicated clinics and B2B meetings with Spinneys category managers. These exchanges offered entrepreneurs practical insights into retail requirements and an opportunity to present their companies, products and unique selling propositions directly to retail decision-makers.
Throughout the event, visitors were also invited to discover, taste and engage with locally developed products and solutions, turning consumers into active participants in the innovation process.
Hassan Ezzeldine, Executive Chairman of Gray Mackenzie Retail Lebanon, said: “At Spinneys, we believe retailers can play an important role in helping promising local products move from innovation to the shelf and, ultimately, into consumers’ everyday lives. Through our collaboration with QOOT, Roots of Innovation gave Lebanese producers and entrepreneurs the opportunity not only to showcase what they have created, but also to receive direct market feedback and better understand what it takes to succeed in retail. Supporting strong Lebanese products and creating meaningful connections between local producers and consumers is an important part of how we see our role.”
The final day focused on the consumer experience and awareness. Alongside the innovation exhibition, tasting and sampling activities, consumer awareness sessions led by Zeina Nakat addressed practical topics including how to read food labels and understand the difference between “best before” and “use by” dates.
Consumers also participated throughout the three days in the People’s Choice Innovation, voting for their preferred participating innovator. Tearapywas named the People’s Choice winner and received one year of QOOT Cluster membership.
Roots of Innovation showcased 10 participating innovators/companies, including 5 AFIA winners, reflecting the diversity and growing potential of Lebanon’s agrifood innovation ecosystem.
Through initiatives such as Roots of Innovation, QOOT and Spinneys aim to contribute to a stronger connection between innovation, production, retail and consumers while supporting broader efforts around sustainable food systems, market access, capacity building, and policy and advocacy. By creating spaces where innovators can test ideas, receive feedback, build partnerships and access commercial opportunities, the initiative underscored the potential of collaboration across the agrifood value chain to help Lebanese businesses grow locally and compete beyond Lebanon.