Dubai Airport Freezone Attracts International F&B Looking To Grab A Slice Of The Lucrative Local Market
UAE imports 90% of its F&B requirements
With GCC food imports expected to more than double in the next decade, growing from US$25.8 billion in 2010 to US$ 53.1 in 2020, the food and beverage (F&B) sector is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, valued at US$ 7 trillion . Dubai Airport Freezone’s (DAFZA) presence at Gulfood 2013, an annual Dubai-based trade show for the hospitality industry, illustrated the evolution of the UAE’s F&B sector food sector, which currently imports 90 per cent of its requirements, through the increasing new business opportunities being presented.
Mohammed Suwailem, Senior Director of Sales at Dubai Airport Freezone (DAFZA), commented on how the impact the Freezone has seen in this sector, and why it has targets to increase its F&B tenants by eight per cent, “With a record of 4,200 exhibitors, we find that Gulfood and F&B focused events, provide increasingly beneficial opportunities for us to showcase our facilities to companies who are looking to invest in their business in the Middle East and want the support and expertise to do so.”
Nabil Skaria, Vice President of The Hershey Company for Europe, Middle East and Africa, a long-standing tenant at DAFZA, said, “We are very excited about the opportunities to sell our iconic brands in the Middle East. Consumers in the GCC Arab states are very discerning about chocolate taste and variety and are eager to buy chocolate that delivers great taste and quality. We have found a strong demand for our chocolate products in the region, especially our Hershey’s Milk Chocolate and Kisses brands. We look forward to bringing our delicious, iconic products to the marketplace and consumers in the Middle East as our business grows in the region.”
Currently, six per cent of companies in the Freezone operate in the food and beverage industry and maximise usage of the Freezone’s facilities and services. In addition, DAFZA boasts prime location and attractive investment opportunities; international investors reap the benefits of dynamic growth through the Freezone’s tax exemption and foreign ownership policies.
Emirate: Dubai
Date: Mar 10, 2013
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