Dubai Industrial City strengthens regional manufacturing and circular economy in 2023 with 15% growth in F&B customers

Dubai Industrial City is reporting robust annual growth for 2023 with 12 new F&B customers joining the district during the year, cementing its role as a proponent of advanced manufacturing and the regional circular economy.

The new F&B customers represent cumulative investments worth AED 800 million, reflecting the appeal of Dubai Industrial City, one of TECOM Group PJSC’s 10 dedicated business destinations for six strategic economic sectors, to food manufacturers and innovators from around the world. Overall customer growth reached 17% during 2023, with more than 1,000 local, regional, and global manufacturing leaders, including F&B industry innovators and heavyweights, now based at the district.

The district’s leadership revealed this growth on the side-lines of Gulfood 2024, the world’s largest annual F&B trade exhibition held in Dubai on 19-23 February. The industrial hub is showcasing innovations from 10 customers including Patchi, Al Barakah Dates, and Barakat Quality Plus at the event, as well as spotlighting the crucial role of mobility in food security through its Make Brilliance global awareness campaign.

“Advanced manufacturing is the cornerstone of global food security, and it must be relentlessly promoted to ensure a sustainable food system for generations to come,” said Saud Abu Alshawareb, Executive Vice President of Industrial at TECOM Group PJSC. “A resilient circular economy can accelerate nutrition security by conserving resources and creating new economic opportunities, and we are proud to catalyse such win-win solutions for businesses, the environment, and future generations through the holistic ecosystem that is Dubai Industrial City’s F&B zone.”

More than 300 factories are operational at Dubai Industrial City, which was established in 2004 with an intelligent and sector-focused masterplan to foster collaboration and minimise waste reduction in the base metals, machinery, minerals, F&B, transport, and chemical sectors.

The district’s F&B zone, which spans 23.5 million sq.ft., is home to global and regional F&B industry giants such as Asmak, Barakat Quality Plus, and Silver Line Gate Group. Dubai Industrial City’s sector-specific infrastructure, including industrial lands, storage and logistics spaces, and cold-storage facilities, enables national socioeconomic and environmental mandates by supporting advanced agricultural practices and sustainable production.

“Strategies like Dubai Economic Agenda ‘D33’, Operation 300bn, and National Food Security Strategy 2051 are creating a future where food is abundant, accessible, and nutritious for all, and Dubai Industrial City’s commitment to this vision is unwavering,” said Saud Abu Alshawareb.

Dubai Industrial City’s performance underscores its dedication to cultivating a dynamic and competitive F&B sector in the UAE as well as its continued support for innovation and sustainability to enable advanced manufacturing for global good.

The district’s connectivity to critical local and national road networks, Al Maktoum International Airport, Jebel Ali Port, and an Etihad Rail terminal strengthen the supply chain of its F&B customers such as A.P. Moller – Maersk, which opened the doors to its first cold store in the UAE, at Dubai Industrial City last year to safeguard the integrity of perishables in its operations.

Dubai Industrial City is spotlighting the role of mobility as a pillar to raise food security through its Make Brilliance global awareness campaign at Gulfood 2024. Make Brilliance was launched in 2023 as the district entered a strategic partnership with the UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) to boost food security to support the National Food Security Strategy 2051.

Among the region’s largest manufacturing and logistics hubs, Dubai Industrial City is part of TECOM Group’s portfolio of business districts that include Dubai Internet City, Dubai Media City, Dubai Studio City, Dubai Production City, Dubai Knowledge Park, Dubai International Academic City, Dubai Design District (d3), and Dubai Science Park.

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