Uzbekistan's food service industry doesn't yet appear oversaturated: there's one outlet per 1,300 residents.
According to the National Statistics Committee, as of August 1, 2026, there were 29,582 commercial enterprises operating in the food service industry in Uzbekistan. Of these, 147 were large enterprises, and another 29,435 were small businesses and microfirms. From January to July 2026, the turnover of food service enterprises reached 170.9 trillion soums, an increase of […]
The catering industry in Uzbekistan is not yet showing signs of oversaturation: there is one establishment per 1,300 residents.
According to the National Statistics Committee, as of August 1, 2026, there were 29,582 commercial catering establishments operating in Uzbekistan. Of these, 147 were classified as large, while the remaining 29,435 were small businesses and micro-firms.
From January to July 2026, catering turnover reached 170.9 trillion soums, representing a real increase of 16.7% compared to the same period the previous year.
Small businesses play a key role in the industry. Small businesses and micro-firms accounted for 77.6% of total catering turnover, while large businesses accounted for 22.4%.
A comparison of the number of establishments with the population of Uzbekistan shows that there is approximately 1,284 people per establishment, or about 78 establishments per 100,000 residents.
By comparison, in Kazakhstan, by mid-2025, there were over 25,000 establishments for a population of approximately 20.5 million. This translates to fewer than 820 residents per establishment, or over 120 establishments per 100,000 residents.
In Russia, by the end of 2025, there were approximately 211,800 establishments for a population of approximately 146.1 million. This translates to approximately 690 residents per establishment, or approximately 145 establishments per 100,000 residents.
Thus, while there are approximately 1,284 residents per statistical point in Uzbekistan, the figure is approximately 820 in Kazakhstan, and approximately 690 in Russia. In other words, there are approximately 57% more potential customers per food service establishment in Uzbekistan than in Kazakhstan, and almost 1.9 times more than in Russia.
These figures, of course, do not automatically guarantee growth in the Uzbek food service industry, as factors such as household income, purchasing power, demand concentration in cities, competition, and establishment formats are all important. However, based on one key quantitative indicator, the market does not yet appear oversaturated.
Furthermore, rapid turnover growth—16.7% in real terms over seven months—against the backdrop of relatively low establishment density indicates that the industry has at least the potential for further expansion.