Business
Fantasy Maldives hosts first dedicated trade event with world-renowned Master Chefs
Fantasy Pvt Ltd, the leading wholesale and retail supplier of high-end food products in Maldives, has hosted its first ever dedicated trade event, bringing in some of the most celebrated chefs in the world for epic culinary demonstrations.
Organised jointly by Fantasy and its Australian partner Sepia International, the “2019 Fantasy and Sepia Trade Days” took place from July 15-17 at Kurumba Maldives. It was inaugurated by tourism minister Ali Waheed.
“We are delighted to host a dedicated event for our products for the first time. An exclusive event of this nature allows us to give more prominence to our products and to better connect with our existing and potential customers. We are thrilled by the great turnout and response received from the attendees,” Ibrahim Rasheed, the owner of Fantasy, told Maldives Insider during the event.
“We are always on the look out for innovative ways to maintain our position as the market leader in the distribution of high-end food products to resorts. This event is one of those initiatives undertaken by our team and we hope this will become one of the most prestigious events in the Maldivian culinary scene.”
During the three-day event, chefs, purchasing managers and other officials from hotels and resorts in the Maldives had the opportunity to explore the wide variety of food products distributed by Fantasy. The products on display included some of the most well-known brands amongst chefs around the world such as Elle & Vire, Rougié, Callebaut, Valrhona, Komplet, Stagioni, Pidy and more.

The Fantasy and Sepia Trade Days also brought in the biggest collection of the world’s best Master Chefs to the Maldives. Attendees had the unique chance to meet and learn from some of the world’s best Master Chefs in a daily schedule of tastings, demonstrations and Master Classes.
- Master Chef Fabrice Prochasson: MOF (1996), President of the Académie Culinaire de France
- Master Pastry Chef Angelo Musa: MOF (2007), World Pastry Champion (2003) and Best Craftsman of France
- Master Chef Ludovic Chesnay: Pastry instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Culinary Arts Institute and Culinary Adviser at Elle & Vire International
- Master Chef Pascal Rio has 33 years of experiences under his belt in French Pastry and Gastronomy. He has conducted professional pastry classes in 22 countries and is a well sought after consultant.
“It’s good to be back in the Maldives. I was here 20 years back for my vacation and it’s good to come back here in my professional capacity. So much has changed over the years and I’m happy to see tourism flourishing and Maldivians being involved in the industry,” Chef Angelo Muso said.
“The event was well-organised and well-received. I hope to see more events of this nature in the Maldives.”
Established in 1988 by Ibrahim Rasheed, Fantasy has become synonymous with quality and has been serving the Maldivian hospitality industry for the past 30 years with a well-managed and professional team. Today, Fantasy supplies to nearly all the high-end tourist resorts in the Maldives such as Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, One&Only Reethi Rah, Anantara Maldives, Four Seasons Resorts Maldives, Soneva and W Maldives amongst others.
The company takes pride in being the trusted leader in the market, sourcing the very best food products from across the globe and supplying them to its customers in the finest condition. Its distribution network is supported with cold storages, warehouses and a fleet of temperature-controlled vehicles — another first in the Maldives.
Business
Feydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space
Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has announced the opening of Feydhoo Hall, a landmark event venue at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives, redefining the possibilities for meetings, celebrations, and destination events in the Maldives.
Designed to bring scale, flexibility, and creativity to island gatherings, Feydhoo Hall represents a bold step forward in positioning the Maldives as a dynamic destination for conferences, weddings, and large-scale social occasions.
Feydhoo Hall offers a versatile event complex designed to accommodate a wide range of gatherings, from corporate meetings and conferences to weddings and social celebrations.

At its core is the 390 sqm Main Hall, capable of hosting:
- Up to 300 guests in theatre-style setup
- Up to 240 guests for dining and banquet-style events
- Up to 200 guests for cocktail-style receptions
- Up to 144 guests in cluster-round configuration
Enhancing the flexibility of the venue are additional dedicated spaces, including:
- A 110 sqm Veranda Terrace, ideal for welcome receptions, breakout sessions, and pre-event gatherings, accommodating up to 100 guests for cocktail-style events.
- A spacious 1,000 sqm Lawn Space, perfect for large-scale outdoor celebrations, destination weddings, and open-air events, accommodating up to 400 guests for cocktail receptions and up to 350 guests for dining setups.
- The 55 sqm Ekugai Meeting Room, designed for smaller meetings and executive sessions, accommodating up to 30 guests in theatre or dining setup and 24 guests in cluster-round format.
Together, these integrated spaces create a seamless indoor-outdoor event experience, allowing planners to design dynamic and personalised event journeys.
True to the dusitD2 brand’s lifestyle-driven philosophy, Feydhoo Hall introduces a fresh approach to meetings and events — where productivity meets creativity in an inspiring island setting.
The venue offers flexible meeting formats designed to suit different event needs, including:
- Half-Day Meeting Package (4 hours) — ideal for focused sessions, executive meetings, and creative workshops.
- Full-Day Meeting Package (8 hours) — designed for immersive conferences, extended workshops, and large-scale corporate gatherings.
These thoughtfully structured packages provide planners with the flexibility to create impactful and seamless experiences, whether hosting intimate strategy sessions or dynamic full-day events.

Located just seven minutes by speedboat from Velana International Airport, dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives combines accessibility with vibrant lifestyle energy, offering event planners and guests a rare balance between convenience and tropical escape.
With the introduction of Feydhoo Hall, the resort strengthens its position as a versatile destination — not only for leisure travellers but also for international conferences, creative retreats, luxury weddings, and large-scale social celebrations seeking something refreshingly different in the Maldives.
Business
BBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet
Bestbuy Maldives (BBM) opened a new wholesale store in Hulhumalé Phase 2 on Monday.
The outlet is located on the ground floor of Lot 20286, Nirolhu Magu, and is intended to improve access to BBM’s imported goods for residents of Hulhumalé Phase 2 and for businesses operating in the area.
According to the company, the opening forms part of its plan to expand services closer to customers in line with population growth in Hulhumalé.
With the opening of the new store, BBM’s full range of imported and distributed products will be available at the Hulhumalé Phase 2 location. These include consumer goods from international brands such as Lifebuoy, Vaseline and Unilever.
The store will also stock wholesale food products from brands including Daily, Cavin’s and Redman.
BBM has supplied goods to resorts, hotels and retail outlets across the Maldives for several years.
Action
Ataraxis Grand & Spa hosts integrated work-and-dive corporate retreat in Fuvahmulah
Ataraxis Grand & Spa recently hosted a week-long, closed corporate offsite in Fuvahmulah for a US-based artificial intelligence company, highlighting the island’s growing suitability for integrated work-and-experience retreats. The retreat brought a group of 36 international professionals to the property, which was reserved exclusively for the programme.
Designed as a private company offsite, the stay combined structured daily work sessions with guided diving and beginner-friendly surf experiences, creating a balanced format that blended focused collaboration with physical reset.

A notable component of the programme was dive training and certification. During the retreat, 17 participants completed their Open Water certification, while a further six undertook the Advanced Open Water course, with training and dives scheduled alongside work sessions as part of the integrated itinerary.
Throughout the week, participants worked on-site using dedicated shared spaces supported by reliable high-speed internet, allowing meetings, informal collaboration and scheduled activities to take place within a single, uninterrupted environment. This setup enabled teams to move seamlessly between work periods and organised ocean activities without leaving the property.

Fuvahmulah’s natural and operational advantages formed a key part of the retreat’s appeal. As one of the Maldives’ largest inhabited islands, it offers immediate access to pelagic dive sites, internationally recognised shark diving and surf breaks suitable for instruction, alongside the infrastructure required to support extended group stays.

The offsite reflects a growing preference among technology and knowledge-sector teams for small-scale retreats that prioritise concentrated work environments and team cohesion over traditional conference formats. Such programmes typically involve longer stays and higher per-capita spend, aligning with sustainable, quality-driven tourism models.
The retreat also demonstrates how locally operated properties such as Ataraxis Grand & Spa are supporting this shift by delivering unified environments where accommodation, workspaces, connectivity and curated experiences operate as a single programme rather than separate services.

As organisations continue to explore alternative formats for strategy sessions, team resets and creative offsites, Ataraxis Grand & Spa’s experience positions Fuvahmulah as an increasingly viable destination for integrated corporate retreats.
Ataraxis Grand & Spa offers work-and-dive retreat programmes in Fuvahmulah that combine accommodation, dedicated workspaces, high-speed connectivity and organised diving and surfing.

Further information on retreat formats and dive-inclusive stays is available via the Ataraxis Grand & Spa website.
-
Cooking1 week agoFrom shoreline to hotpot: New dining experiences at Sun Siyam Iru Veli
-
News1 week agoVentive Hospitality aligns Maldives portfolio with Green Fins marine sustainability platform
-
Business1 week agoFeydhoo Hall opens at dusitD2 Feydhoo Maldives as new event space
-
News1 week agoThe Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands launches conservation programme for environmental observances
-
Drink1 week agoProvence comes to Maldives with Château Minuty dinner at Milaidhoo Maldives
-
Awards1 week agoDouble gold win for OZEN RESERVE BOLIFUSHI and OZEN LIFE MAADHOO at Junior Travel Awards
-
Business1 week agoBBM expands retail presence with new Hulhumalé outlet
-
Featured1 week agoCity Iftar experience curated at JEN Maldives by Shangri-La


