Demand for baby food in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region has grown phenomenally over the past few years, with growth expected to spiral over the next three years, a new report has suggested.
The Middle East has some of the fastest rising levels of diabetes in the world, presenting opportunities for bakery manufacturers to develop healthier bread products, says a Euromonitor analyst.
Bottled water consumption continues to show robust growth in the UAE, thanks to rising demand built on a (once again) growing economy and increased health awareness.
Two Gulf investment vehicles have bought major stakes in Turkish food producers in recent weeks, as Turkey positions itself as a major halal food producer.
Food insecurity is a disproportionately significant cause of conflict in the Arab world, and improving food security can reduce regional conflict, according to research from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Saudi Arabia is overhauling its agricultural sector to reduce water consumption and improve efficiency, according to the chairman of the country's Agriculture Development Fund (ADF).
Saudi Arabian agricultural company Iktifaa has announced plans to invest in agricultural and animal farming projects in Sudan, as part of the kingdom's drive to improve food security.
Gulf food giant Americana is negotiating with Brazilian producer BRF on a possible “strategic collaboration” in the Middle East, according to a filing with the Brazilian Securities and Exchange Commission.
The UAE's plans to promote healthy eating are a good start, but the government and the food industry can both do more to combat obesity and diabetes, according to a Dubai-based dietitian.
Saudi Arabia’s food and beverage consumption will continue to grow robustly over the next year, according to a new report from research firm Business Monitor International.
The Middle East is now increasingly shunning live imports of cattle and sheep and demanding high value cuts of red meat, say exporters from India and Australia.
Saudi Arabia has indicated it may soon allow the import of poultry products from Pakistan, eight years after banning them to prevent the spread of bird flu.
Dubai plans to launch a new international centre for halal certification within the first-quarter of 2014, with the goal of making the emirate the world leader in halal certification.
Gluten-free major Genuis is suitably busy with an ambitious international expansion plan as it moves into the United Arab Emirates (UAE), its commercial director says.
The Middle East flexible packaging market is set to grow by 4.3% a year over the next five years, up from 2.5% according to a new report from PCI Films Consulting.
The Middle East’s non-alcoholic beer market is ripe for beverage makers to tap into, provided they continue to innovate to adapt to the vagaries of the region’s culture and Islam-dominated societies, an expert said.
Tunisia, Iran, Serbia and Indonesia hold great promise for dry dessert mixes given that these markets have less chilled and frozen storage, an analyst says.
McDonald’s has said it will strive toward the development of harmonised halal standards across the Middle East, as it reaffirmed its commitment to various requirements in place.
The six Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) countries are now consuming more dairy than ever before thanks to changes in lifestyle and dietary patterns, a new report from food and drink consultancy Zenith International said.
A growing awareness about healthier foods and lifestyle diseases like diabetes and an expanding expat population are fuelling demand for organic food products in the Middle East.
Earlier this year, Oman embarked on one of the most ambitious food production projects in the Middle East when it announced plans to invest US$1.29bn in fisheries development from 2013 to 2020.
FoodNavigator speaks exclusively to Tim Ansell, Sales Director of UAE-based Al Thika Packaging LLC about the state of the market and what we’ll all be unwrapping in the future.
The first Global Forum for Innovations in Agriculture (GFIA) is set to take place in Abu Dhabi early next year, aiming to turn the spotlight on the future of agriculture in the region.
Food and beverage companies must take note of the growing awareness of diabetes in the Middle East if they want to truly tap the market to its full potential.
Breaking into the food and beverage market can be a challenge for many start-up companies, leading many businesses to either sink without a trace or opt for the franchise market rather than set up from scratch.
Low/non-alcoholic beer is the fastest growing beer category of the past five years, with a 7% volume CAGR, although off a low base, according to a Euromonitor International analysis.
Food security in the Middle East could be under threat due to continuing political instability in the region, according to a report from Chatham House, also known as the Royal Institute of International Affairs.
Food companies must continue to evolve the way they make and market their products for the region’s consumers, or face the possibility of being forced out of the market altogether, according to an industry consultant.
Many global food and beverage brands are turning to franchising as a blueprint for expansion, with franchised outlets now making up the lion’s share of the Middle Eastern food market.
At the end of October, Ireland’s dairy sector finally flexed its muscles in the Middle East dairy market when the Irish Dairy Board Cooperative (IDB) announced a €20m investment in Saudi Arabia.
Global ingredients and flavours company Kerry Group is the latest to step into the Middle East, in line with recent studies showing growing consumer demand for processed foods across the region.
The blossoming links between Ireland and the Middle East have been under the spotlight this week, as the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Simon Coveney, leads a week-long trade mission to the Gulf States of the UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia,...
The Irish Dairy Board (IDB) has invested €20m ($27m) in a dairy manufacturing and technology facility in Saudi Arabia, “to access the important dairy growth markets in the Middle East and North Africa region, supplying the Islamic Halal market segment”.
One of the largest chicken producers in Saudi Arabia has teamed up with one of Europe’s leading multi-material packaging manufacturers, LINPAC Packaging, in a new deal that looks set to have great impact on both the companies’ presence within the region,...
Food plays a huge role in Middle Eastern society, from celebrations to hospitality and pleasure pastimes, and consumer demand is booming across the region.
The process of enforcing Saudi Arabia’s aim of employing more nationals in the private sector has had an unexpected effect on the Haj food industry this year.
The gradual opening up of Saudi Arabia to the world in social and political terms may also be helping to open the country’s food and beverage market to keen processors.
Special Edition: Tackling diabetes: Formulating for healthy blood sugar
