United Arab Emirates Edible Meat Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

United Arab Emirates Edible Meat Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecasts (2023 - 2028)

The UAE edible meat market stands at USD 1.56 billion in the current year and is projected to register a CAGR of 1.56% over the forecast period.

The UAE edible meat market is expected to grow over the medium term owing to an increase in disposable income, consumer demands for fresh and healthy meat, and health aspects. Meat is considered to be an auspicious meal by the Muslim community. As the United Arab Emirates has a high domestic population of Muslims, the demand for meat, especially red meat, is high in the region. Meat consumption has plenty of benefits as it is a good source of all nine essential amino acids and other nutrients such as iodine, zinc, and vitamin B12. Due to all these health benefits, the young population in the region is more attracted to meat consumption.

Furthermore, in the United Arab Emirates, the tourism sector is growing. The number of inbound visitors and tourists has been increasing in the region after the COVID-19 pandemic. According to the Government of Dubai Tourism Report of 2021, 3.85 million international guests visited Dubai in 2021. Because of tourism, hotels and restaurants have also increased the purchase of meat according to consumer preferences. The import-export potential of the region is also driving the market as the United Arab Emirates exports and imports meat from different countries. Despite all these driving factors, the growing trend of plant-based food and plant-based meat can hamper the growth of the market.

The United Arab Emirates has many tourist places like Burj Khalifa, Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilization, Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo, Fujairah Fort, Abu Dhabi, and many more. International tourists visit the United Arab Emirates all the time for business trips and leisure trips, and the people of the United Arab Emirates also visit these places very often. According to the Government of Dubai tourism report of 2022, 10.2 million international visitors visited Dubai in 2022. Due to this, dining out culture is also growing in the region. Foodservice restaurants and hotels provide a variety of meat with different cuisines according to consumer requirements. Because of this, meat consumption and requirement in the region has grown. The restaurants like Aseelah, Al Fanar Restaurant, Seven Sands, and Zaman Awal offer fine dining experiences and multiple cuisines like Chinese, Japanese, and Thai. Because of all these factors, meat consumption and demand are increasing in the region, and it continues to increase over the long term.

The United Arab Emirates has a large number of young and working people. Due to the increase in disposable income and focus on health, the younger generation is working out to stay fit and healthy. As meat provides plenty of proteins, essential amino acids, and other nutrients and helps in building muscles, the demand for meat has increased in the region. Furthermore, there is an increase in the working population in the region. Due to this, the dining out trend is more in UAE countries like Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Young people these days are attracted to the western culture of convenience food, and they require their food to be equally nutritious. Because of this, the market players and food chain services in the United Arab Emirates are buying meat and completing the needs of consumers. The young population in the region is also attracted to food chain services like Mcdonald's, Subway, Domino's, and many more. These food chain restaurants innovate new products with meat in it, which attracts consumers. For instance, in September 2022, McDonald's in the United Arab Emirates launched six flavor-packed rice meals. These rice meals have different types of meats like chicken and beef with veggies in them according to the requirement of consumers.

The UAE edible meat market is highly fragmented, with the involvement of regional and international market players. The market players are mainly focusing on import-export activities to expand their portfolios. The companies focus on penetration in the market through proper distribution channels. Regional players in the market are Al Ain Farms, Al Kabeer Group ME- The Savola Group, Siniora Food Industries Company, Tanmiah Food Company, Adan Meat Supply Limited, and many more. International market players include JBS SA, BRF SA, and IFFCO, among others. In October 2022, BRF SA agreed to form a Saudi Arabia joint venture with Halal Products Development Company (HPDC) for the development of the Halal meat industry in Middle Eastern countries.

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