Middle East rises in global halal food manufacturing race
As demand for halal food grows, the Middle East is emerging as a strong competitor to South East Asia in global halal manufacturing
Although the majority of Middle Eastern consumers are Muslim, historically South East Asian countries such as Indonesia and Malaysia have been topping the headlines when it comes to halal food production.
However, according to the State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) 2024/25 Report, the Middle East is set to emerge as a major challenger moving forward, with many governments in the region having implemented national strategies aimed at boosting local economies and improving local food security.
Experts warn against young adult reliance on Instagram for nutrition advice: UAE study
A new study has revealed that nearly two-thirds of young adults in the UAE turn to social media for nutrition advice, with Instagram topping the list.
While this trend shows the growing role of digital platforms in shaping health behaviours, the study raises red flags over the lack of scrutiny toward the quality and credibility of that information.The study — conducted by researchers at the Research Institute of Medical and Health Sciences and University of Sharjah — noted that these young adults focused more on how easy it was to access information, not whether it was backed by science.
Instagram was by far the most used platform, followed by Snapchat, YouTube and TikTok.Worryingly, when asked what mattered most in choosing where to get their nutrition advice online, 63.6% of students chose ease of use; only 12.6% said scientific evidence was a top priority.
Agthia profits fall amid weak snack and protein demand
The firm has posted a second straight quarterly profit drop as snack and protein demand weakens, highlighting geopolitical and supply challenges in the region.
Middle East food and beverage heavyweight Agthia recently announced its H1FY2025 financial results, reporting a -11.4% year-on-year decline in revenue to AED1.3bn (US$353.9m) and a -32.5% year-on-year decline in net profits at AED86m (US$23.4m).The firm, which remains one of the region’s largest leading food and water manufacturers, attributed these losses to a drop in protein sales (-15.7%) impacted by devaluation of the Egyptian pound and market pressures in Jordan; as well as snacking sales (-8.2%) impacted by the prices of dates, its main snacking ingredient.
Halal food shifting local – What does this mean for global food sector?
With the halal food sector moving towards regional manufacturing over international imports, food firms worldwide could lose stakes in this trillion-dollar industry
Halal food is an incredibly lucrative sector, with the recent State of the Global Islamic Economy (SGIE) 2024/25 Report estimating this to be worth US$1.43tn as of 2023, and expected to grow at a 6.2% CAGR to reach US$1.94tn by 2028.At present, all the Top 5 halal food importing markets are unsurprisingly primarily Muslim countries, but the Top 5 halal food exporting markets comprise mostly non-Muslim countries.
Is Angel Hair chocolate the next big confectionery craze?
It’s pretty, it’s pink, and it could just give Dubai chocolate a run for its money.
If you’ve been anywhere near social media lately, then you’ve likely been presented with videos of influencers dramatically breaking bars of Angel Hair chocolate apart before enthusiastically biting into them. They’re usually filmed in cars, as the consumer can‘t possibly wait to get home before trying them, and include shocked reactions when the inside of the bar is revealed.So what is Angel Hair chocolate and is it the next big thing in confectionery?
