Dubai International Chamber reviews opportunities for the local food sector in… "Gulfood 2026"

Dubai, January 27 / WAM / Dubai International Chamber, one of the three chambers operating under the umbrella of Dubai Chambers, today organized a business meeting on the sidelines of the Gulfood 2026 exhibition, the largest annual event in the world in the food and beverage sector, which is currently being held at the Dubai World Trade Center and Dubai Exhibition Center in Expo City in Dubai and continues until January 30 of this year.

The meeting, with the participation of 410 representatives of international companies specialized in the food and beverage sector, reviewed the latest market data and the most important trends that contribute to shaping the features of the sector in the UAE.

The meeting included presentations that highlighted Dubai’s competitive position as a leading global center in the food and beverage trade and industry.

Khaled Al Jarwan, Executive Vice President of Commercial and Institutional Services at Dubai Chambers, said that the food and beverage sector in Dubai is witnessing remarkable growth, driven by the strong economy, population growth and booming tourism. The Gulfood exhibition constitutes an important platform for establishing global partnerships and exploring new opportunities. We are keen to provide a dynamic, supportive environment for the sector, link international companies with local opportunities and enable them to expand regionally and globally.

An introductory presentation by Dubai International Chamber during the meeting showed that, according to Dubai Customs data, Dubai’s imports of food and beverage products achieved a compound annual growth rate of 3.1% during the period 2014-2024.

During the same period, the emirate’s exports of these products recorded a compound annual growth rate of 4.4%, while re-exports recorded a compound annual growth rate of 5.4%.

During the introductory presentation, statistics were highlighted based on Euromonitor data, which showed that the value of retail sales of the fresh and canned food sector in the country amounted to $17.3 billion during the year 2025, while consumer spending in the country on purchasing food in general via e-commerce platforms reached $1.2 billion, with expectations that this spending will record a compound annual growth rate of 8.5% until 2029.

The presentation highlighted that the food and beverage sector in Dubai has attracted new foreign direct investments worth $576 million during the period 2021-2025, according to FDA Intelligence data.

During the period from 2021 to 2025, the restaurant technology sector in the country attracted investments worth $898.8 million.

The introductory presentation focused on expectations that retail sales of fresh food in the UAE will rise from $9.75 billion in 2025, to record a compound annual growth rate of 4.7% until 2030.

Meat products accounted for the largest share of sales in this category during the year 2025, achieving retail sales worth $3.1 billion, with expectations to record a compound annual growth rate of 5.1% until 2030.

Vegetables came in second place, with sales reaching $2.7 billion in 2025, with expectations of achieving a compound annual growth rate of 4.8% during the same period.

The presentation pointed to expectations that retail sales of canned foods in the UAE will rise from $7.68 billion in the year 2025, to record a compound annual growth rate of 5.4% until 2030.

Basic food items account for the largest share of sales in this category, with sales value reaching $2.7 billion in the year 2025, with expectations to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 6% during the period from 2025 to 2030, followed in second place by dairy products, with sales worth $2.3 billion in the year 2025, with expectations to achieve a compound annual growth rate of 4.7% in the same period.

The Dubai International Chamber introductory presentation indicated that retail sales of soft drinks in the UAE are expected to record a compound annual growth rate of 6.1% during the period from 2025 to 2030, with sales reaching $4.5 billion.

Ready-to-drink tea and coffee beverages were the fastest growing category, with expectations of achieving a compound annual growth rate of 9% for tea drinks and 8.3% for coffee drinks during the period from 2025 to 2030.

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