Food and agriculture

Thriving FMCG industry

Dubai is home to a vibrant FMCG market that leverages the city’s strategic location, numerous free zones as well as many warehousing and distribution facilities. Key players include Jebel Ali Port (Jafza), the largest port in the Middle East and the ninth-largest in the world, and the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC). They offer efficient, secure and innovative transportation and storage solutions.

Another pivotal enabler is DP World, which is vital in the global food trade and nurtures projects like the US$1.5 billion (AED5.5 billion) Dubai Food Park. It offers comprehensive cold storage facilities, collaborates with international logistics companies like J&T Express and ensures efficient transport of food items and perishable products. 

Empowering local food manufacturing 

Dubai is a regional food manufacturing hotspot. Dubai Industrial City alone houses 100 entities, including multinational FMCG and food manufacturers as well as 67 operational factories.It's efficient distribution network is a prominent attractor for food and agri-business firms. Another advantage is that the city offers a strategic entry point into the fast-growing US$1.5 trillion (AED5.5 trillion) MEASA consumer spending market. This combination has attracted a strong local presence from global FMCG majors like Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Johnson & Johnson, Mars, Reckitt-Benckiser, Danone and Colgate-Palmolive.

World capital of gastronomy 

In recent years, Dubai has skyrocketed in popularity as one of the world’s top gastronomy hubs, with more than 13,000 restaurants and eateries catering to a diverse population from over 200 nations. This represents another viable business opportunity for foodpreneurs. 

The presence of culinary guides such as Gault&Millau and Michelin Guide Dubai further underscores the city’s rising prestige as a premier culinary destination, excelling in service standards, culinary variety, and fine dining options. 

Market-leading food industry events

Dubai hosts Gulfood, the world’s largest food and beverage sourcing event, every year. The 2024 edition was the biggest ever, with more than 5,500 leading F&B companies, showcasing 150,000+ new products from more than 190 countries. The event has proven instrumental in fostering collaboration and innovation between key players from the public and private sectors. It has also helped orchestrate a shared vision to improve the future of the sector, solidifying Dubai’s position as a leading food and beverage hub. 

Dubai also hosts conventions like the Dubai International Food Safety Conference, a testament to its commitment to national and global food security. The 17th edition took place in December 2023, under the theme ‘Impact of Climate Change on Food Safety’. It featured 3,000+ local, regional and international companies, as well as industry experts, researchers and academics. The collective goal was to exchange knowledge, innovation and the latest food safety and security trends.